• But according to Prosper Bani, government needs to reconsider its focus
• He said existing hospitals need to be equipped
Former Interior Minister, Prosper Bani, has opined that government's Agenda 111 programme to build new hospitals is not necessary now.
In his view, government needs to focus on addressing the challenges existing hospitals are fraught with for Ghanaians to enjoy better services.
He also urged that abandoned hospitals are completed to bridge the health deficit gap.
The former Interior Minister said, “Many Ghanaians including himself do not have issues with building new hospitals, however, many existing ones are facing challenges that could be solved with the needed attention and resources while construction for others has been halted."
"This (Agenda 111) is not the priority. What we need now is to equip the existing hospitals that we have now, complete those that have not been completed, place the medical personnel in those hospitals and manage them effectively,” he added.
He said this on JoyNews' Upfront programme on Wednesday, September 8, 2021.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on Tuesday, August 17, 2021 cut sod for the construction of district hospitals.
Each hospital under the Agenda 111 project will cost US$16.88 million.
About Agenda 111
The Agenda 111 project includes 101 district hospitals, six regional hospitals in the newly created regions, two specialised hospitals in the middle and northern belts, as well as a regional hospital in the Western Region and renovation of the Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital.
It is aimed at transforming the country’s inadequate healthcare infrastructure.
Former Interior Minister, Prosper Bani