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President John Dramani Mahama has criticised the state of the Agenda 111 hospital projects, stating that none of the facilities, which were part of the previous government’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic, are operational, despite significant financial investment.
In his first State of the Nation Address during his second term on Thursday, February 27, Mahama expressed his disappointment that the initiative, aimed at improving healthcare infrastructure, has yet to produce any fully functional hospitals.
He revealed that over $400 million has already been spent on the projects, yet there is very little progress.
The president stated:
If this amount had been used appropriately, it would have completed and made operational about 22 of these hospitals.
Mahama stressed that this failure has left many communities still grappling with inadequate healthcare services. While acknowledging the importance of the initiative, he reassured Ghanaians that his government is open to a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) approach to ensure the completion and operationalisation of these hospitals.
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Mahama continued:
The healthcare needs of the country cannot be ignored, and urgent measures are required to deliver these critical facilities.
Brief background on Agenda 111 initiative
The Agenda 111 initiative, launched under former President Akufo-Addo during the Covid-19 pandemic, aimed to build 111 district and regional hospitals, including psychiatric facilities, to address gaps in Ghana’s healthcare system.
However, with none of the projects complete, Mahama vowed to take decisive action to ensure these vital hospitals are delivered as originally planned.
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He also made a firm pledge to resolve Ghana’s economic challenges and steer the country towards a positive path of development.