Minister for Health Kwabena Mintah Akandoh inspects ongoing construction at the La General Hospital project site, assuring stakeholders that the critical health infrastructure remains well-funded and on track for completion.
Accompanied by the Member of Parliament for the La Dade-Kotopon Constituency, Rita Naa Odoley Sowah, the Minister evaluated progress across all levels of the facility. While commending the contractors for significant advancements since his last visit, Akandoh challenged the project team to elevate their performance from good to excellent and expedite work to meet upcoming deadlines.
Addressing questions regarding the project’s financial backing and delivery schedule, the Minister clarified the project’s scope and funding structure. Project completion is targeted for late 2027, with official commissioning slated for January 2028, though the Minister urged contractors to intensify operations to beat the target timeline.
The total cost of the project is structured at fifty million euros, which encompasses comprehensive hospital infrastructure and specialized medical equipment. The government has disbursed approximately fifteen million euros to date.
Clarifying payment processes, the Minister noted that the most recent Interim Payment Certificate has already been processed and forwarded to the Ministry of Finance, eliminating payment delays as a valid rationale for any work slowdowns. As installation phases progress, subsequent disbursements will follow accordingly.
A key focus of the ministerial inspection was addressing systemic healthcare challenges, particularly emergency room capacity and the persistent “no-bed syndrome.”
Drawing comparisons with major national facilities such as Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, where emergency bed capacity often hovers around six percent of total beds. Akandoh emphasized that new builds must plan proactively for future population growth.
Consequently, he has directed the project consultants to reconfigure the emergency department to target a minimum capacity of ten percent of the hospital’s total bed complement.
”We learn from experience and going forward, we correct what we have come to meet. We have all realized that some facilities turn patients away because they lack emergency beds. The technical people must put their heads together and do the needful,” the Minister stated.
Adding her perspective, Rita Naa Odoley Sowah highlighted the profound enthusiasm among residents of La Dade-Kotopon regarding the hospital’s resurgence. She praised the collaborative efforts of the executive branch, the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Finance in honoring financial commitments promptly.
However, Odoley Sowah drew attention to localized labor constraints, noting a shortage of on-site workers. She proposed leveraging local human resources directly from the La Dade-Kotopon community to bolster the workforce, ensuring that the project maintains optimal momentum toward its late 2027 completion goal and brings relief to the good people of the constituency and Ghana at large.
Eugenia Ewoenam Osei
