Government, last year August 17, 2021, launched the Agenda 111 project. The objective of the initiative, as envisioned by the President, is to ensure that Ghanaians in every district and region in the country have access to quality healthcare services.
The project will boost the provision of healthcare infrastructure, in line with 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 to improve the geographical coverage of healthcare delivery in the country, as well as offer improved access to healthcare for all Ghanaians.
The project will cover the design, procurement, construction, equipping and commissioning of 101 District Hospitals, 6 Regional Hospitals in newly created regions, as well as 1 Regional Hospital in the Western Region, 2 Psychiatric Hospitals in Kumasi and Tamale and a redeveloped Accra Psychiatric Hospital.
The Health Minister, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu recently disclosed that government’s ambitious Agenda 111 project has made progress amid some challenges.
Much as the Agenda 111 project is part of a plan by government to ensure that 101 outstanding districts will be provided with hospitals, the pre-contract arrangements are also stringent on things that are needed to be done before contractors can move onto site.
The Chronicle is happy that a total of 87 projects out of 111 sites of government’s Agenda 111 projects have commenced and are at various stages of construction. This initiative will go a long way to bridge the health inequality gap and strengthen the health system nationwide.
The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, visited one of the project site last Tuesday, during his 2-day duty tour of the Volta region.
The Akatsi North District Hospital project under the ‘Agenda 111’ initiative at Ave-Dakpa, the district capital, is progressing steadily and the $12-million project is expected to be finished by mid next year.
The Director of Global Management Construction Limited, the lead contractor, Michel Gick, gave an assurance that the project would be completed according to schedule.
When completed, the 60-bed hospital will have 32 blocks, including various wards, theatres, staff bungalows, physiotherapy and other units, a morgue and every facility of a modern hospital, with a stand-by generator.
Other Agenda 111 projects ongoing in the Volta Region which the President visited are; Adaklu in the Ho West District, Afadzato South, Agotime Ziope and Anloga districts.
Most of these areas lack standard health facilities and serious and emergency cases have to be rushed to nearby hospitals, mostly outside the vicinity. For instance, pregnant women in labor have to be ferried quiet a distance to receive treatment and this does not speak well of our healthcare system.
The Chronicle will, therefore, like to urge government to expedite action on the already started projects so that they eventually add up to the existing government healthcare and also help address the phenomenon of long distance travels by residents to access health care.
