The University of Ghana Medical Centre which has been shut since it was constructed over a year ago will be opened next week Wednesday July 18, 2018.
The opening date was disclosed by the Health Minister Kwaku Agyemang Manu who toured the facility with officials of the health ministry Wednesday, July 11.
The move comes after a massive backlash from the public following an initial posture of unwillingness to open the facility by the government. The health minister had earlier claimed some fittings including a power generator were not adequately installed in the facility.
The public anger culminated into students of Legon opening an online petition for people to sign in order to mount pressure on the government to open the facility. A pharmacy student Reginald Sekyi-Brown was arrested and detained after he held a placard with the hash tag #OpenUGMCNow at the First Lady’s event at the Korle-Bu teaching hospital.
The $217 million University of Ghana medical centre which was constructed by the Mahama administration has remained closed since its completion over a year ago. A tussle between the University Authorities and the Ministry of health over who has the right to manage the facility has protracted the opening of the facility.
The 650-bed facility is the first of its kind in West Africa and second to only few hospitals in South Africa. The then Government secured a loan facility from Harpo Alim Bank of Israel for the project.
Source: Ghana/Starrfmonline.com/103.5FM
