Ahanta West Agenda 111 hospital requires GH₵140m for completion

Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has disclosed that GH₵140 million is required to complete the Agenda 111 hospital project at Bokoro in the Ahanta West Municipality of the Western region.

His comments come after a recent visit to the site, where it was observed that, although the physical structure of the hospital is complete, essential operational equipment is still missing.

All the Agenda 111 hospital projects were initially estimated to cost Ghana about($1.9 billion).

“The 101 district hospitals alone were estimated to cost around $1.7 billion,” he explained. He further highlighted that, by the time the NPP government left office, they had spent not less than $ 400 m on the project.

However, despite this significant investment, not a single hospital was operational.

Mr Akandoh emphasised that completing the hospital’s construction is only part of the process.

“It’s not just about the building; it’s about the equipment and infrastructure needed to make it functional. For this project, we need at least 9 million US dollars, which is about GH₵140 million,” he said. “You cannot commission a hospital without the necessary equipment.”

The Minister also pointed out that the operational equipment at the site is less than 10% complete.

“To operate this facility, we need a minimum of 300 staff members,” he added. Furthermore, he stressed the need to compensate contractors who have yet to be paid for their work.

He also addressed the financial challenges hindering the project’s completion.

He explained, “When President Mahama left office, we ensured that funds were left behind to complete ongoing projects. However, as I speak to you, there is no money available to finish this project because no reliable funding source has been secured.”

In addition to the financial difficulties, the Health Minister raised concerns about the lack of a staffing and recruitment plan for the hospital.

“You cannot run a healthcare facility without a proper staffing plan. We expected to see nurses, doctors, and patients today, but unfortunately, no such plans are in place,” he said.

Mr Akandoh concluded by criticising the previous administration for failing to secure sustainable funding to ensure the completion and operation of the Agenda 111 hospitals, leaving the projects in an incomplete state.

Read also…