President Nana Akufo-Addo has stated that his government will ensure the construction of regional hospitals in all the newly created regions and districts without hospitals.
Delivering his first State of the Nation address of his second term on Tuesday, March 9, President Akufo-Addo described Agenda 111 as the biggest healthcare investment in Ghana’s history.
“Last year, thirty-three (33) major health projects were approved for implementation at a cost of eight hundred and ninety million euros (€890 million). Key amongst them are the Koforidua Regional Hospital, Tema General Hospital, the Nephrology and Urology Centre at Korle-Bu, Redevelopment of the Effia Nkwanta Hospital into a Teaching Hospital, and the Construction of a new Regional Hospital at Agona Nkwanta in the Western Region.
“As announced last year, Agenda 111, which will see to the construction of 100-bed District Hospitals in one hundred and one (101) Districts with no hospitals, seven (7) Regional Hospitals for the new Regions, including one for the Western Region, the construction of two (2) new psychiatric hospitals for the Middle Belt and Northern Belt, respectively, and the rehabilitation of Effia-Nkwanta Hospital in the Western Region, is on course. Construction of some of these hospitals has commenced and will continue without interruption.
“Agenda 111 is part of a massive vision for Ghana’s healthcare sector, the realization of which will lead to Ghana becoming a Centre of Medical Excellence and a destination for medical tourism, and will also see us achieve the following:
a) each of the sixteen (16) regional hospitals will be designated as a Centre of Excellence in the different specialties of medicine. For example, orthopedic surgery, burns, plastic and reconstructive surgery, breast care centre, fertility centre, neonatology and pediatric centre, neurosurgery and spine centre, stroke center, heart and kidney centre and mental health centre to name a few;
b) continuously upgrade our medical curriculum, and continue to train our young doctors and health care professionals in a world class fashion;
c) incentivize the private sector to increase capacity to support demand in healthcare delivery; and
d) encourage Ghanaian medical experts in the diaspora to collaborate and join hands with us to help build and contribute to the realisation of this noble vision.
“Government will continue to invest in the health sector, and will continue to recruit more health professionals, in addition to the one hundred thousand recruited in my first term for our health facilities.
“Electronic medical records system (E-Health) deployment is currently underway, following its implementation in key health facilities like Korle-Bu, Komfo-Anokye, Ho, Tamale and Cape Coast Teaching Hospitals, and eighteen (18) district hospitals in the Central Region. Upper East, Upper West, and Bono Regional Hospitals will go live on the e-health platform in five (5) days.”
The President also took a swipe at the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) stating that the New Patriotic Party are good managers of the economy.
According to him, despite the harsh impact of Covid-19 on the economy, his government found the resources to protect all public sector workers.
“My government found the resources to cushion the impact of the pandemic because we are good managers of the economy and we are good protectors of the public purse,” the President said to loud cheers and jeers from both the Majority and Minority in Parliament.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM
