The Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has attributed the delay in opening the 120-bed Children’s Specialist Hospital at Weija in the Greater Accra Region to the contractor’s failure to complete outstanding works and formally hand over the facility to the Ministry.
Answering questions in Parliament on Wednesday, Mr. Akandoh explained that the Ministry is fully prepared to commence operations once the remaining works, including the installation of some medical equipment, are completed and the project is officially transferred.
He disclosed that although the hospital has already been fully staffed, it cannot admit patients until the contractor completes the necessary works and completes the handover process.
According to the Minister, the World Bank-funded project encountered delays after procurement concerns were identified during construction, requiring interventions to resolve the issues before work could continue.
He said the Ministry has since engaged the contractor on several occasions to address the outstanding matters, with a final meeting scheduled for July 10 when the contractor returns to Ghana.
Mr. Akandoh dismissed allegations that government is intentionally delaying the opening of the facility, stating that assessments by the Ghana Health Service revealed that some sections of the hospital are yet to be completed.
He assured Parliament that the facility would be operational immediately after the official handover, adding that the required medical personnel have already been recruited and deployed.
The Minister said the hospital could begin attending to patients within 24 hours after it is handed over, stressing that a formal inauguration ceremony is not a prerequisite for the commencement of healthcare services.
The delay in opening the specialist paediatric facility has generated public concern, particularly among residents of the Weija-Gbawe Municipality, who have called for its immediate operationalisation.
The hospital is expected to provide specialised children’s healthcare services and help reduce pressure on existing health facilities.
