President John Dramani Mahama has revealed plans to replace the ageing maternity block at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital with a modern facility.
According to John Mahama, the plan forms part of his government’s efforts to strengthen maternal healthcare services.
John Mahama, speaking at the commissioning of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund Cardiac Catheterisation Laboratory at the National Cardiothoracic Centre on Thursday, made the announcement.
He revealed that the procurement process for the new maternity block is already underway.
President Mahama highlighted that the existing Gordon-Guggisberg maternity building has outlived its usefulness and no longer provides.
He noted that the Korle Bu maternity building is not a safe environment for mothers, newborns and health workers, describing the structure as hazardous.
Mahama stressed that the facility poses serious safety risks, adding that it will be demolished once work begins on the replacement project.
According to Mahama, improving healthcare delivery requires more than funding medical treatment, adding that quality healthcare also depends on modern, safe and well-equipped health facilities.
In related news, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, the Minister for Health, has admitted that the current NDC administration will not be able to complete all the hospitals under the Agenda 111 initiative by the former Akufo-Addo government.
The Health Minister highlighted that the government remains committed to improving healthcare infrastructure, but must be realistic.
According to the Health Minister, the NDC government cannot complete all Agenda 111 projects, with some of the Hospitals at varying levels of completion.
He disclosed that while some projects are at advanced stages, others remain at early phases.
Speaking in an interview on the Citi Breakfast Show on Wednesday, April 22, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh stated, “If we say that we will be able to complete all the Agenda 111 projects, which are over 100, within one year or even four years, it is a lie.
Let’s be realistic and I started saying this even in opposition, and you heard me loud and clear that there was no way we were going to complete these 111 hospitals within the timeframe the president gave us.”
Meanwhile, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, the Minister for Health, has disclosed that the government will recruit 16,000 health workers by 2026.
According to the Health Minister, recruitment processes for about 8,000 of the planned intake have already been completed, adding that further recruitment is expected to be rolled out.
Kwabena Mintah Akandoh disclosed that the government is strengthening deployment to underserved areas to address staffing gaps.
Watch the video below:
@ghnow_ President Mahama joins the clean up exercise at Alajo #GHNow #fyp ♬ original sound – 🤍DAYSO LYRICS 🎤
