NDC met ‘sick’ hospitals with malfunctioning medical equipment — Akandoh

Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh

The Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has revealed that the Mahama-led administration inherited several health facilities in poor condition when it took office earlier this year.

He said many hospitals were left in a state of disrepair, with critical medical equipment either malfunctioning or completely broken down.

This, he noted, has hampered healthcare delivery across the country and created a huge backlog of challenges for the ministry.

Mr. Akandoh disclosed this during the Government Accountability Series on Friday, July 18, as he outlined the state of Ghana’s health sector and measures being implemented to address the gaps.

The minister said the government has made efforts “to upgrade key facilities, including the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital Maternity and Children’s Block. Hospitals such as Korle Bu, Cape Coast Teaching Hospitals, and LEKMA Hospital have received essential equipment, including ventilators and oxygen plants. These are the tools we need to save lives every day.”

“However, there are still gaps. Many facilities need renovations, new equipment, and dependable maintenance systems. We commit to bridging these gaps through domestic investment and international partnerships, primarily via Public-Private Partnerships (PPPS),” he added.

The Health Minister further disclosed that the much-publicised Agenda 111 initiative had not completed or operationalised any hospital despite heavy financial commitments.

“Despite an investment of $344 million into Agenda 111, we did not meet a single completed and operationalised hospital. Worse still, over a billion Ghana cedis in arrears was left behind for us to settle,” he stated.