Sunyani West: Communities Beg For Akufo-Addo's 88 Promised Hospitals

Some youth in the Sunyani West Municipality of the Bono Region are demanding one of government’s 88 proposed hospitals be sited in the area.

President Akufo-Addo in his eighth address to the nation on the coronavirus pandemic announced plans to construct hospitals in 88 districts across the country in a bid to improve Ghana's health sector.

Addressing a presser on May 28, the Chiraa Youth Forum said the hospital was an opportunity for the state to make up for years of neglect.

The convener of the youth group, Joseph Opoku Kyeremeh said: “By virtue of its location on the main Sunayni-Takyiman-Wenchi highway, which is one of the major accident-prone stretches in the region and even the increasing vehicular movement, Chiraa would be a strategic location for emergencies like road accidents to augment the efforts of the Sunyani Regional Hospital and the Holy Family Hospital at Takyiman.”

“This is justifiably true in the sense that it is only Chiraa which has an existing family as an alternative to the Sunyani Regional Hospital or the Holy Family Hospital at Takyiman. People from other districts and municipalities who are close neighbours access their health needs from the Chiraa Health Centre,” he added. Background

Government announced its ambitious plan to construct the 88 hospitals and six new regional hospitals as well as the rehabilitation of the Effia Nkwanta Hospital, in Sekondi, which is the regional hospital of the Western Region all in a bid to boost healthcare delivery in the country.

The project which is expected to last for one year will commence in July this year, according to President Akufo-Addo.

The Local Government and Rural Development Minister, Hajia Alima Mahama has directed the various district assemblies without hospitals to identify and release a minimum of 15 acres of land for the projects.

“This exercise must be completed with all necessary documents prepared by 31st May, 2020,” a letter from the Minister said.

She further urged Regional Ministers overseeing the selected districts “to take a personal interest in facilitating the smooth take-off of this very important initiative.”

Similar calls

The Mental Health Nurses Group (MHNG) in Ankaful Psychiatric Hospital had earlier petitioned Akufo-Addo to consider the construction of psychiatric hospitals across the country in the wake of COVID-19.

The group said the psychiatric hospitals could be built as part of the 88 hospitals the President announced will be constructed across the country.

---citinewsroom