Mahama Makes Big Announcement on 35 Abandoned Agenda 111 Hospitals

President John Dramani Mahama has announced that the government is procuring 100 new ambulances to strengthen the operational capacity of the National Ambulance Service.

He also revealed plans to restore another 100 grounded ambulances by acquiring the spare parts needed to return them to service.

The President made the announcement while addressing the 68th Annual National General Conference of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA), held at Miotso near Prampram in the Greater Accra Region.

The week-long conference is being held under the theme, “The No Bed Syndrome: Reimagining a Befitting Emergency Response System for Ghana.”

Mahama also disclosed that the government would soon conduct a feasibility study of sewage systems at major public health facilities to identify and address deficiencies that could lead to the discharge of medical waste into drains and water bodies.

On specialised healthcare, the President stressed the importance of combining financial assistance for patients with investments in the facilities, equipment and skilled personnel required to provide advanced medical services locally.

He indicated that the Ghana Medical Trust Fund had begun supporting patients with selected serious medical conditions, starting with cancer, while the government was also investing in specialised training and healthcare infrastructure.

Mahama cited the cardiac catheterisation laboratory recently commissioned at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital as an important addition to the country’s capacity to provide advanced cardiac treatment.

He further noted that similar cardiology facilities were under construction at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi and Tamale Teaching Hospital to improve access to specialised heart care across the country.

The President expressed concern over the loss of a medical doctor, which he attributed to the lack of access to a catheterisation laboratory, stressing the need to expand such facilities.

He said the government’s objective was to establish three fully equipped cardiac catheterisation centres at Korle Bu, Komfo Anokye and Tamale Teaching Hospitals.

Mahama also identified organ transplantation as another specialised area the government was working to develop.

He disclosed that preparations were underway to establish a regulatory framework, including an organ transplantation bill, to ensure the safe and ethical delivery of such services.

The proposed framework is expected to address critical issues such as patient consent, donor protection, professional supervision and long-term care for transplant recipients.

The President also outlined several hospital infrastructure projects aimed at expanding healthcare capacity and improving access to medical services.

Among them is the completion of the 509-bed maternity and children’s block at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, a project that stalled following Ghana’s debt defaults and subsequent debt restructuring.

He indicated that the contractor was expected to return to the site shortly to resume construction.

Mahama also disclosed that construction had commenced on a new 400-bed maternity and children’s block at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.

He expressed concern about the deteriorating condition of the existing maternity and children’s facility, emphasising the urgency of completing the new building to provide a safer environment for mothers and children.

Another major project highlighted by the President was the operationalisation of the Ashanti Regional Hospital at Sewua.

He explained that road construction works had been completed and electricity connected to the facility, while efforts were ongoing to extend a water pipeline to the hospital.

Once fully operational, the Sewua hospital is expected to reduce pressure on Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital and improve healthcare delivery in the Ashanti Region.

Mahama further announced that the government had allocated GH¢200 million in the 2027 Budget towards completing the long-delayed Police Hospital expansion project, which is expected to increase the facility’s capacity to 300 beds.

He also disclosed that the new 100-bed Tamale Police Hospital would be opened soon, while the 160-bed La General Hospital was expected to be completed next year.

Work on the Afari Military Hospital in the Ashanti Region is also scheduled to resume next year.

Additionally, the government is preparing to revive 35 hospitals under the Agenda 111 programme that have reached at least 70 per cent completion.

According to the President, the government intends to re-award the contracts to facilitate the completion of the projects, following challenges associated with the existing contractual arrangements.

He explained that the Attorney-General’s Department was reviewing the contracts to establish the necessary legal framework for their reactivation.

The President said the various interventions formed part of broader efforts to expand healthcare infrastructure, strengthen emergency response services and improve access to specialised medical treatment across Ghana.

Source: https://mobile.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/President-Mahama-announces-procurement-of-100-new-ambulances-2060207

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