Government has tasked contractors working on some 45 Agenda 111 hospital projects which have reached advanced stages to complete them before the end of this year.
The ambitious healthcare initiative, known as Agenda 111, which aims to construct 111 health facilities across the country, is making significant progress.
Breakdown of the projects
The Agenda 111 is a key part of the grand vision for Ghana’s healthcare sector by the Akufo-Addo administration.
Its realization will ensure that 101 outstanding districts will be provided with 100-bed hospitals, 160-bed six Regional Hospitals for the newly created regions, rehabilitation of Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital in Sekondi in the Western Region, two 90-bed Psychiatric Hospitals in Kumasi and Tamale as well as redevelopment of the Accra Psychiatric Hospital.
Regional breakdown of district hospitals
The Regional breakdown of district hospitals are; Ashanti-10, Volta-9, Eastern-8, Greater Accra-7, Upper East-7, Oti-5, Upper West-5, Bono-5, Western North-5, Savanna-3, Bono East-2 and North East- 2.
The completion of the 111 hospitals will lead to Ghana becoming a centre of medical excellence and a destination for medical tourism in the West African sub-region.
On Tuesday, August 17, 2021 President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo cut the sod for the commencement of the construction of the Trede District Hospital in the Atwima Kwanwoma district of the Ashanti Region.
Agenda 111 contractors
Presidential Advisor on Health, Dr. Nsiah Asare and the Minister for Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah who went to inspect the progress of work at Trede provided updates on the status of the project.
Work progressing on 88
According to them, work is progressing on 88 of the intended 111 projects by Agenda 111 contractors.
Project divided into 8 zones
Dr. Asare who highlighted the meticulous planning and management of the project said thPhe initiative has been subdivided into eight zones, each with an average of 14 sites.
At each site, he said a dedicated team of consultants, including architects, civil engineers, structural engineers, mechanical engineers, and biomedical engineers, are ensuring the smooth execution of the construction process.
He explained that this is to ensure that government delivers quality health infrastructure that will serve the health needs of Ghanaians for generations to come.
He stated that several facilities, including a district hospital and polyclinics in the Western Region are nearing completion with the expansion and equipping of selected facilities under the much-touted agenda also slated for completion likely by the end of this year.
The Presidential Advisor on Health said the hospitals being constructed under the Agenda 111 programme will offer a range of facilities, including state-of-the-art surgical theatres for maternity, obstetrics and gynecology, male, female, pediatric, and isolation wards, among others.
Further, he said accommodation will be provided for doctors, nurses, and other healthcare personnel within the hospital premises.
3 contracts terminated
Dr. Asare disclosed that three contracts awarded to three separate contractors have been terminated.
He stated that government’s commitment to delivering high-quality healthcare facilities necessitated taking decisive action against contractors who failed to meet the required standards and perform their contractual duties.
“We have terminated the contracts of three contractors due to non-performance and failure to meet the required standards.
“As we have indicated, we will not compromised on the standards of these hospitals and the construction timelines which is why we have moved quickly to terminate the contracts of these contractors,” he said
Dr. Asare who did not name the affected contractors and locations of projects, emphasized that the government took this step to ensure the successful implementation of the Agenda 111 projects on time.
He said the termination serves as a demonstration of the government’s dedication to upholding rigorous standards and holding contractors accountable for their performance.
Mr. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah who took his turn to provide further updates on the ongoing construction works expressed satisfaction with the progress made.
He emphasized the government’s dedication to improving healthcare infrastructure nationwide.
He indicated that the government is well on track to fulfill its promise of expanding and enhancing the healthcare sector in Ghana.
“The remarkable progress of the Agenda 111 project is a testament to our commitment to bridge the health inequality gap and strengthen the health system in Ghana.
“We are steadfast in our resolve to provide high-quality healthcare services to all Ghanaians,” Mr Nkrumah affirmed.
He said government considers Agenda 111 as the most significant investment in healthcare infrastructure in the country since independence and will not relent in the provision of these hospitals.
Mr Nkrumah called on the local beneficiary communities to lend their unwavering support to the projects as government accelerates efforts to roll out the health infrastructure development programme across the country.
He said this will ensure the seamless integration, effective utilization, and optimal functionality of the hospitals when completed.
Barriers to access healthcare
Inadequate health facilities, long distances to reach them, lack of effective and efficient transportation systems remain barriers to access healthcare in Ghana.
90 districts without hospitals
It is shocking that 90 districts in the country do not have district hospitals.
$17.60m as cost for each district hospital
Each of the hospitals would be built at the cost of $12.8 million and another $4.8 million would be spent to equip them bringing the total cost of each of the hospitals to $17.60 million.
25,000 employment construction phase
It is estimated that 25,000 people will be employed during the design and construction phase of the 111 hospital providing direct jobs to architects, masons, carpenters and other construction workers in the country.
20,000 health professionals to be employed
Once completed, about 20,000 health professionals including doctors, specialists, nurses and other allied health workers will be employed thus reducing the unemployment rate in the country.
Unparalleled opportunity to transform healthcare system
The District Hospitals under the Agenda 111 programme presents an unparalleled opportunity to transform the country’s health care system creating a new standard on the continent.
Access to quality healthcare services
The objective of this project as envisioned by the President is to ensure that Ghanaians in every district and region in the country have access to quality healthcare services.
Achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3
The proposed project will boost the provision of healthcare infrastructure in line with the government’s commitment to ensuring universal health care to all citizens and attainment of United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG3).
It will further be a fulfillment of the government’s policy of a hospital in each district and region and improve the geographical coverage of healthcare delivery in the country, as well as offer improved access to healthcare for all Ghanaians.
In the process, the outcome will also come with a model of accelerated construction of health facilities developed for future health projects.
On completion, this venture will be the largest investment in healthcare infrastructure in the country since independence.
Never before in the annals of this country’s health infrastructure development has universal access to good and affordable healthcare been so strategically envisioned.
