We are completing abandoned sanitation infrastructure projects – Nana Addo

Health News Thursday, February 21, 2019

Source: citinewsroom.com

2019-02-21

President Akufo-Addo said his government is working to complete the abandoned infrastructure in the health sector.

He added that while it is difficult to work on abandoned infrastructure as new infrastructure is put in place, the government remains committed to completing it to improve the quality of health services provided in the country.

Speaking before Parliament in his third speech on the state of the nation on Thursday, Akufo-Addo pointed out that the many unfinished and abandoned health center projects are a sign of "underdevelopment" "which has raged in the country for many years.

"We have problems with many structures at different stages of completion that can not be completed and used because new structures are being started and there is no money to finish those that were started earlier . Again, this is a longstanding problem that is a mark of our underdevelopment. We will not ignore the problem under the carpet, we will treat it and we will solve it, "he said.

In August 2018, the government declared that it was actively pursuing the completion of some abandoned hospitals in order to cope with the health crisis in the country.

The insurance was based on the Citi FM and OccupyGhana petitions addressed to the presidency, which called for the commissioning of all the health facilities that were completed but were not functioning, as well as the deadlines for competition from abandoned institutions.

The government, through the Ministry of Health, in a detailed response to this petition, set a clear timetable for the competition of the main health facilities it had identified and under its direct supervision responsibility.

The facilities were Wa Regional Hospital, Madina District Hospital, Nsawkaw District Hospital and Tepa District Hospital.

The others were Twifo Praso Hospital, Kumasi Regional Hospital, Salaga District Hospital and Konongo District Hospital.

However, the latest audits by Citi FM revealed that the government had missed deadlines and it was unlikely that abandoned projects would be completed on time.

But the government insists it is working to ensure that abandoned and unfinished infrastructure is completed and operated.

President Akufo-Addo added that the government was expecting around 275 ambulances in June 2019 to improve the delivery of emergency health care services in the country.

"We are waiting for the arrival of 275 ambulances, that is to say. 1 per constituency, to make the treatment of emergency cases more efficient. Drone technology has also been introduced in this system to help provide essential drugs, blood and blood products to isolated communities. We still face inadequate infrastructure problems in our health facilities, "he said.