Agenda 111 Hospitals: Construction officially starts tomorrow – Oppong Nkrumah

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, as part of measures to tackle the ravaging health crisis brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, will tomorrow observe the commencement of the construction of the 111 standard hospitals in the country.

The project is part of a grand vision for Ghana’s healthcare sector by the Akufo-Addo administration, the realisation of which will ensure that 101 outstanding districts will be provided with hospitals.

In addition, 10 selected regional and specialised hospitals will also be built.

Government has secured $100 million start-up fund through the Ghana Investment Infrastructure Fund (GIIF) for the commencement of works on ‘Agenda 111’ district, specialised and regional hospitals across the country.

Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, who made this known at the Minister’s Press Briefing yesterday, said the President would personally observe the commencement of works at Trede in the Atwima Kwanwoma District of the Ashanti Region, with other contractors in other districts expected to commence work afterwards.

He said the Agenda 111 was programmed to take 12 months to complete.

The project is budgeted at nearly $17 million each of the district and specialised hospitals, with funding from the Government of Ghana (GoG), with the construction of the six new regional hospitals under an Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC) arrangement.

Mr Oppong Nkrumah, said the construction of the 111 hospitals would lead to Ghana becoming a centre of medical excellence and a destination for medical tourism in the West African sub-region.

He said: “The project is expected to deepen healthcare delivery at all district levels and ensure that the Ghanaian can access high quality healthcare at all district levels.

It will also provide thousands of jobs for the healthcare staff to be recruited and posted to all these 111 facilities, as well as their ancillary workers in these communities.

The housing and local services associated with these projects are also expected to add a new layer to local economic activities in service of the local communities”.

Mr Oppong Nkrumah called on all and sundry, especially the local beneficiary communities, traditional leaders, youth and all actors in the local health sector, to rally behind the agenda and give their full support as government rolls out the project in full.

In selecting contractors, the Minister said, local contractors were given a priority to create jobs for the local communities, adding that it would also create employment for health workers and ancillary staff.

More also, all the hospitals would have a staff accommodation for medical doctors, nurses and other health workers.

Mr Oppong Nkrumah noted that the Agenda 111 presented an unparalleled opportunity to transform the country’s healthcare system, saying “It’s the largest healthcare infrastructure project ever taken in the history of Ghana since independence.”

Each unit would have facilities such as Outpatient services, including consultation for medical and surgical cases, Ophthalmology, Dental and Physiotherapy and Imaging services.

Mr Oppong Nkrumah urged the traditional authorities, youth groups and local actors in the beneficiary districts to cooperate with the government and contractors to ensure the successful execution of the projects.