The Ministry of Health has inaugurated the governing boards for several teaching hospitals, including Korle-Bu, Komfo Anokye, Cape Coast, Ho, Tamale, and Sunyani, as well as well as the Food and Drugs Authority, and the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons.
These boards are responsible for the oversight and management of these institutions. The boards are typically comprised of 11 members, including representatives from the hospital, the university, and other stakeholders.
In a speech at the inauguration ceremony held at the Ministry of Health in Accra on friday, the Minister of Kwabena Mintah Akandoh admonished the newly appointed members of the Governing Boards of the various teaching hospitals to work with diligence and dedication to make the health sector achieve its aim.
‘’Your appointment is no mere accolade. It is a solemn call to service at the highest level of stewardship in our health sector. Today is not simply an occasion to exchange pleasantries or bask in the honour of your new roles. It is a moment of reckoning—a moment to recognize that you are now the custodians of institutions that are the bedrock of Ghana’s health system. The decisions you make, the leadership you demonstrate, and the integrity with which you govern will profoundly shape the health and well-being of millions of our compatriots. This government, under the decisive leadership of His Excellency President John Dramani Mahama, has set forth a bold and transformative health reset agenda. To translate this vision into reality, we require more than good intentions—we require measurable outcomes, unyielding commitment, and a relentless focus on results. Accordingly, each of you will be required to sign a performance contract that articulates clear and ambitious key performance indicators. These will not be mere formalities but active tools of accountability, with regular progress reports submitted to my office for rigorous review’’.
According to Hon. Mintah Akandoh, a central tenet of the mandate of the new governing board will be financial discipline and operational efficiency.
‘’It is imperative that every cedi entrusted to your institutions is stretched to its fullest potential in service of the Ghanaian people. We can no longer tolerate the wasteful practices of the past, where administrative overheads swallowed up most of our annual budgets, leaving our facilities starved of resources for maintenance, infrastructure development, and service improvement. That chapter must now close permanently. In pursuit of this, I expect every board to rigorously assess the necessity, frequency, and purpose of its meetings. Meetings must not become perfunctory exercises or routine engagements; they must be convened strategically, driven by a clear agenda, and geared towards advancing the institutions’ mandates. Governance must be purposeful, efficient, and impactful’’. he noted.
Hon. Akandoh directed that all hospitals establish and maintain two distinct accounts: one dedicated to the upkeep of infrastructure, covering essential activities such as painting, roof repairs, and minor facility restorations—and another earmarked exclusively for the maintenance and servicing of critical diagnostic and medical equipment.
‘’It is inexcusable to preside over the decline of the very assets that are indispensable to the delivery of care. To let the ‘hen that lays the golden eggs’ fall into ruin is a betrayal of the public trust and of your duty. Maintenance is not an optional extra; it is a foundational obligation. We must cultivate a robust culture of preservation and proactive stewardship one that reflects an unwavering commitment to building institutions that are resilient, responsive, and continuously improving. No longer can we fall back on the convenient narrative of blaming government when things deteriorate due to our own lapses in vigilance and care’’, he added.
Story by: Eric Boateng
