Citi News has reported on a number of health projects undertaken by successive governments which cost the taxpayer nearly several millions of dollars, but have been abandoned.

[contextly_sidebar id=”oQhfbZP7awT4piGDJJoG21KpuICuZ3Ks”]The major ones that have come up for mention are the $217 million University of Ghana Medical Centre, the Bank of  Ghana Hospital, the solar-powered medical centre at the Volo Digital Village in the Volta Region, as well as the GHc320,000 CHPS compound at Teshie which are all not in use.

With the University of Ghana Medical Centre, although the first phase has been completed, there is a tussle between the University of Ghana and the Health Ministry, as to who to manage the facility, with government saying it needs an additional $6 million to make it operational.

With regards to the Bank of Ghana Hospital, the Board is yet to take a decision on what module of management to adopt, although the facility was built in three years and largely completed in 2017.

In the case of the Volo Medical Centre, health professionals are  unwilling to work there due to the lack of staff accommodation as well as the location of the facility.

Speaking to Citi News‘ Parliamentary correspondent, Duke Opoku Mensah on Tuesday, Yieleh Chireh said his Committee will surely enquire from the sector departments the reason why these facilities are not in use.

“I have the duty to invite them to parliament; the committee will work on all these things. The controversies you have heard, the committee would have to call the various heads of departments to appear before the committee to find out what is the real issue,” he said.

He also accused the Minister of Health, Kwaku Agyeman Manu of not being on top of issues within his sector describing him as too “slow.”

“I think the Minister should up his game. There are different institutions maybe constructing this and they all do not come under the Ministry of Health. But I still think that by this time he [Health Minister], should have got grasp of all that is happening in the health sector. And many of the things that are going on there, you cannot blame him alone, but I think that he should have a grasp of what is left and what needs to be done.”

Although Mr. Yieleh Chireh acknowledged that most of the abandoned health facilities were not constructed by the Ministry of Health, he said if the ministry wants to oversee the affairs of the facilities, it should do it in a professional manner devoid of politics.

“The facilities were constructed by quasi-government agencies. The Bank of Ghana doesn’t come directly under the Ministry of Health. The Ports Authority also built one. But whilst that is true, there are many things that this government is slow to take decision on. In the case of the University of Ghana Medical Centre, the facts are there. When you politicize health, then we have a problem. When you want people to think that the edifice everybody has seen is not yet completed and the contractors are no longer on the site, I think it could only be politics,” he added.

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By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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The post We’ll summon officials over ‘abandoned’ health facilities – Yieleh Chireh appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

A 60-bed capacity ultra-modern Bank of Ghana Hospital, which was largely completed in 2017, is yet to be put to use although all major equipment and hospital material have been duly installed.

The facility, located at Cantonments in Accra, was part of a GH¢445.8 million capital expenditure commitments of the bank to major projects including the construction of a data center and its guest house.

[contextly_sidebar id=”iiuGWDnutGDTpYd83c5nRBRRbaZShqnk”]According to the Bank of Ghana, it wants to attract private investors to manage the facility when completed.

Responding to the issue at the Monetary Policy Committee meeting on Monday, January 22, 2018, the Governor, Dr. Ernest Addison, stated that the Board will take a decision on the most effective management model for the facility.

“This has been a project that the bank has undertaken and nearing completion. The new board will decide for the model of this hospital because we want to attract private sector management of that hospital,” he added.

Citi News gathered that, the construction, which started in 2014 by the Universal Hospitals Group, was completed in three years.

Reports indicate that, although the facility is not in use, some monies are being spent on electricity bills and others, as some gadgets are powered from time to time to ensure that they don’t become rusty.

Spotlight on abandoned health facilities 

Citi FM has in the last few weeks put the spotlight on several health facilities that have either been partially or fully completed, but are not functional.

A typical examples is the $217 million University of Ghana Medical Centre, the first phase of which has been completed, but the facility is not in use due a tussle between the school and the Health Ministry over who should manage it.

Volo digital Health Centre abandoned over lack of staff

Another abandoned project is the solar-powered medical centre at the Volo Digital Village completed in 2015, which has not been operational due to lack of staff to man the facility.

According to National Democratic Congress [NDC], Member of Parliament North Tongu Constituency, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, prospective staff were turning down offers to work at the facility, citing the lack of staff accommodation as one of the reasons.

“According to the Health Service Directorate in the Volta Region, even if we had one doctor for a start and a couple of nurses it will help. But the challenge has been that, they have found it very difficult attracting any interested staff, and because of the accommodation challenges… it does not make it attractive,” he said.

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By: Godwin A. Allotey & Lawrence Segbefia/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

The post We’re yet to decide on management model for BoG Hospital – Governor appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The facility, located at Cantonments in Accra, was part of a GH¢445.8 million capital expenditure commitments of the bank to major projects including the construction of a data center and its guest house.

Citi News gathered that the construction, which started in 2014 by the Universal Hospitals Group, was completed in three years.

The delay in the opening of the facility for the intake of patients has thus affected its utility bills marginally, as it still pays bills for the use of air-conditioners among others.

Board yet to take decision on hospital

Meanwhile, the Bank of Ghana has disclosed that the Board of the Bank is yet to take a decision on a mode that will be used to run its hospital, which according to the central bank is near completion.

According to the Bank, it wants to attrack private investors to manage the facility when completed.

Responding to a question on the Bank of Ghana hospital at the Monetary Policy Committee meeting on Monday, January 22, 2018, the Governor, Dr. Ernest Addison stated that the Board will take a decision on the most effective management model for the facility.

“This has been a project that the bank has undertaken and nearing completion. The new board will decide for the model of this hospital because we want to attract private sector management of that hospital,” he added.

Citi FM has put the spotlight on several health facilities that have either been fully or partially completed, but are not fully functional.

A typical examples is the $217 million University of Ghana Medical Centre, the first phase of which has been completed, but the facility is not in use due a tussle between the school and the Health Ministry over who should manage it.

See photos and videos of the facility below:

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Completed Bank of Ghana hospital left unused [Video] appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.