The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has urged Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh to ensure that abandoned healthcare projects are completed and public health infrastructure is properly maintained.
He made the call when the Minister and the Administrator of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund paid a courtesy call on him at the Manhyia Palace.
Otumfuo cautioned against the politicisation and abandonment of development projects, stressing the need for continuity and accountability in the management of public resources.
“The responsibility is not only to put up the infrastructure. It is also to make sure that what we have put up is maintained and works for the people,” he said.
The Asantehene also urged the Minister to use his tenure to leave a lasting legacy in Ghana’s healthcare sector and protect the confidence reposed in him by President John Mahama.
Mr. Akandoh outlined the government’s healthcare priorities, including strengthening primary healthcare, improving the National Health Insurance Scheme and expanding the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, popularly known as Mahama Cares.
He said the ultimate objective was to achieve Universal Health Coverage, ensuring that access to quality healthcare is not determined by a person’s financial status or location.
The Minister also announced plans to complete 35 selected Agenda 111 hospital projects, including facilities at Trede and Offinso.
He said government was investing in specialised equipment, including cardiac catheterisation laboratories, while also working to address the unequal distribution of doctors across the country.
Mr. Akandoh further disclosed plans to establish a technology-driven Bed Management Centre to provide real-time information on bed availability and help tackle Ghana’s persistent “No Bed Syndrome.”
On the Sewua hospital project, the Minister said work was progressing on the access road, electricity and water supply, with the facility expected to be ready for commissioning soon.
The Asantehene, however, stressed that healthcare development must go beyond the construction of hospitals and procurement of equipment.
He urged the Minister to ensure that medical equipment purchased with taxpayers’ money remains functional and is properly maintained.
“You have been given the opportunity to serve. Protect the trust that has been placed in you, and make sure that when you leave office, you leave behind something that people will remember you for,” Otumfuo said.
