SoNA 2021: More health workers to be recruited – Akufo-Addo

President Nana Addo Akufo-Addo says his government will recruit more health workers in his second term to help improve Ghana’s healthcare delivery services following the devastating impact of COVID-19 across the globe.

Delivering his first State of the Nation address in Parliament on Tuesday, 9 March 2021, Nana Akufo-Addo noted that his first term saw the recruitment of 100,000 healthcare professionals.

He promised that every district without a hospital will get one in his second term.

He further disclosed that his government was also going to construct regional hospitals in each of the six newly created regions.

The President also expressed gratitude to health care workers who have been at the forefront fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.

Touching on Agenda 111, Nana Akufo-Addo said: “Last year, thirty-three (33) major health projects were approved for implementation at a cost of eight hundred and ninety million euros (€890 million). Key amongst them are the Koforidua Regional Hospital, Tema General Hospital, the Nephrology and Urology Centre at Korle-Bu, Redevelopment of the Effia Nkwanta Hospital into a Teaching Hospital, and the Construction of a new Regional Hospital at Agona Nkwanta in the Western Region.

“As announced last year, Agenda 111, which will see to the construction of 100-bed District Hospitals in one hundred and one (101) Districts with no hospitals, seven (7) Regional Hospitals for the new Regions, including one for the Western Region, the construction of two (2) new psychiatric hospitals for the Middle Belt and Northern Belt, respectively, and the rehabilitation of Effia-Nkwanta Hospital in the Western Region, is on course. Construction of some of these hospitals has commenced and will continue without interruption.

“Agenda 111 is part of a massive vision for Ghana’s healthcare sector, the realization of which will lead to Ghana becoming a Centre of Medical Excellence and a destination for medical tourism, and will also see us achieve the following:

a) each of the sixteen (16) regional hospitals will be designated as a Centre of Excellence in the different specialities of medicine. For example, orthopaedic surgery, burns, plastic and reconstructive surgery, breast care centre, fertility centre, neonatology and pediatric centre, neurosurgery and spine centre, stroke centre, heart and kidney centre and mental health centre to name a few;

b) continuously upgrade our medical curriculum, and continue to train our young doctors and health care professionals in a world-class fashion;

c) incentivize the private sector to increase capacity to support demand in healthcare delivery; and

d) encourage Ghanaian medical experts in the diaspora to collaborate and join hands with us to help build and contribute to the realisation of this noble vision.

“Government will continue to invest in the health sector, and will continue to recruit more health professionals, in addition to the one hundred thousand recruited in my first term for our health facilities.

“Electronic medical records system (E-Health) deployment is currently underway, following its implementation in key health facilities like Korle-Bu, Komfo-Anokye, Ho, Tamale and Cape Coast Teaching Hospitals, and eighteen (18) district hospitals in the Central Region. Upper East, Upper West, and Bono Regional Hospitals will go live on the e-health platform in five (5) days.”

Source: Class FM