President Akufo-Addo has vowed to complete all projects under the Agenda 111 initiative before his tenure of office elapses.

He said this is in line with government’s efforts to ensure high quality and timely health service to all Ghanaians.

Addressing the 60th anniversary of the University of Ghana Medical School (UGMS) on Friday, he said the Agenda 111 project is evidence of government’s commitment to improving the country’s healthcare system thus, his government would ensure the completion of the hospitals.

“A great deal of the preparatory work for the execution of this ambitious project has been completed and it is my determination that the entire project will be completed before I leave office on January 6, 2025,” the President said.

The President noted that the project will provide 101 standard 100-bed district hospitals with accommodation for nurses and doctors in districts, construct six new regional hospitals for each of the six new regions, rehabilitate the Effia Nkwanta Hospital in the Western region, construct one new regional hospital in the Western Region and three Psychiatric hospitals in each of the three zones in the country.According to him, these new projects would cost the country an estimated amount of $1.765 billion.

He said such development would help make Ghana a “centre of medical excellence and a preferred destination for medical tourism in West Africa.”

The President noted that “government is looking forward to improving its accreditation seals for hospitals in the country and possibly acquiring international accreditation seals such as Joint Commission International.”

President Akufo-Addo used the opportunity to lament the refusal by some doctors and dentists to accept postings to deprived areas of the country, describing it as distressing,

This, he said is hampering effective healthcare delivery in such areas.

The President said while government works to improve conditions in such areas, it is incumbent on medical professionals to adhere to their oath.

“The news of doctors refusing posting to these areas is distressing. I encourage all medical practitioners to follow the worthy example of your great forebears who readily accepted postings in the early years, at a time when the national infrastructure was even more harrowing than it is today.

“I am therefore appealing to you, as passionately as I can, to accept postings to accredited regional and district hospitals, where your services are needed most,” he urged.President Akufo-Addo admitted that the country’s doctor-dentist population ratio currently remains poor, although “our medical schools have got a good reputation and have been training good doctors and dentists who find work with some ease, in all parts of the world, the doctor-dentist population ratio in our country still remains unsatisfactory after 65 years of nationhood.

“We currently do not have the right numbers of doctors, dentists and healthcare professionals with the right niche of skills and expertise in our regions, districts and deprived communities, especially for the newly-created regions and districts,” he pointed out.

Agenda 111

President Akufo-Addo on August 17, 2021, launched the Agenda 111 project.The project will cover the design, procurement, construction, equipping and commissioning of 101 District Hospitals, 6 Regional Hospitals in newly created regions, and 1 Regional Hospital in the Western Region, 2 Psychiatric Hospitals in Kumasi and Tamale a redeveloped Accra Psychiatric Hospital.

The project is to ensure that Ghanaians nationwide have access to quality healthcare services and with the National Health Insurance Scheme, boost the provision of healthcare infrastructure and financial accessibility to healthcare.

Doctors, nurses and other health personnel will have accommodation in the hospitals to be constructed.

According to the Agenda 111 detailed document, the facilities that will be enjoyed by Ghanaians include four state-of-the-art surgical theatres for maternity, obstetrics and gynaecology, a full complement of male, female, pediatric and isolation wards, among others.According to government, on completion, the venture will be “the largest investment in healthcare infrastructure in the country since independence.”