President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo says his government has embarked on the construction and completion of 32 hospital projects in the Ashanti Region since it assumed power in 2017.

“I am not referring to Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compounds and health centres, I am talking specifically about hospital projects”, he said at the inauguration of a 60-bed Asante Akim Municipal Hospital yesterday, as part of his four-day working visit to the region.

Under Agenda 111, the President noted that his government was constructing 16 district hospitals in Trede, Kokoben, Boamang, Nsuta Sekyere, Manso Adubia, Mankranso, Kwabenakwa, Barekese, Kodie, Asiwa, Akrofuom, Adugyama, Adansi Asokwa, Asokore Mampong, Bantama and Nyinahin, in addition to the construction of a psychiatric hospital in Onwe, in the Ejisu Municipality.

“There are five hospitals being constructed by VAMED Engineering in MansoNkwanta, Twedie, Sabronum, Drobonso and Suame.

He said under the EUROGET Project, initiated under President Kufuor, the Akufo-Addo Government had completed the AhafoAno North District Hospital in Tepa, and the Asante Akyem Hospital in Konongo.

“As I indicated earlier, the 250-bed Ashanti Regional Hospital in Sewua, and the 500 bed Military Hospital at Afari would be commissioned and completed next year,” he said.

The President cited the resumption of work on the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital Maternity and Children’s Block, which had stalled for 41 years, and completion of two district hospital projects in Fomena and Kumawu which were started by the previous government as a show of its commitment to health.

He announced that work would soon commence on the construction of district hospitals at Offinso and Effiduase, and residential facilities at Abrepo for Kumasi South Hospital while Maternity Blocks at Tafo and Kumasi South Hospitals would be completed.

Commissioning the Asante Akim Hospital in Konongo, which is part of the “Ghana Hospital Project”, initiated by the Kufuor Government in 2008, and executed by EUROGET De-Invest S.A of Egypt, President Akufo-Addo indicated that it was the sixth Hospital he had commissioned under the project.

“This hospital has been long awaited in Konongo, and it is good that, today, the demand for a Municipal Hospital of quality has been realised. Residents and surrounding health facilities will now gain access to improved healthcare,” he said.

The “Ghana Hospital Project” involves the design, construction and equipping of one military hospital, two regional hospitals, and six district hospitals in Ghana, at a project cost of $339 million.

It falls under the broader objective of providing infrastructure for the delivery of effective healthcare to Ghanaians.

Other hospitals being constructed under this contract are 250-bed Ashanti Regional Hospital at Sewua in the Bosomtwe District; the 60-bed Municipal Hospital at Salaga in the East Gonja Municipality; and the five hundred (500)-bed Military Hospital, under the Ministry of Defence at Afari, again, here in Ashanti. They are all expected to be commissioned before the end of 2023.

The Konongo Hospital has been constructed at a cost of $35.86 million, and has been designed with several departments including administration; outpatient department (OPD); physiotherapy; pharmacy; radiology; laboratory; surgical suite (operation dep.); laundry; mortuary; medical waste department; general stores; ten (10) staff housing units; and a mini market.

The hospital has been equipped with modern medical equipment, such as x-ray machines, ultrasound machines, fully equipped operating theatre, medical gases, and patient monitors.

It also has a medical waste treatment plant, a power station, a water treatment plant, a central air conditioning system and an anaerobic sewage treatment plant.

President Akufo-Addo reiterated the commitment of the government to improving access to essential and quality health services through the provision of the necessary health infrastructure, equipment and logistics, including the deployment of appropriate technology, as part of the government’s drive to attain Universal Health Coverage (UHC).