Dr Mark Assibey-Yeboah
THE GOVERNMENT has unveiled the infrastructure spending plan for the health sector.
It is currently seeking parliamentary approval for a number of loans to finance construction of hospitals and polyclinics across the country.
The health infrastructure plan includes the construction of hospitals for the Shama District, La area of Accra, Nkoranza and Dormaa as well as the construction of a new 330-bed maternity block at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital and the Central Medical Stores.
These projects are besides 12 polyclinics to be constructed in the Ashanti, Eastern, Greater Accra and Ahafo Regions and the construction of a Urology and Nephrology Centre of Excellence at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.
About €546.83 million of investment in the health infrastructure projects has been planned with the fund expected to be secured from commercial and term loan agreements between the Government of Ghana and the Standard Chartered Bank, Israel Discount Bank Limited, Erste Group Bank AG, Ceska sporitelna, and Raiffeisen Bank International.
Shama Hospital
Presenting various reports on the loan facilities to Parliament for adoption and approval, Chairman of the Finance Committee, Dr Mark Assibey-Yeboah, said the government’s big plans would provide respite for residents in the areas earmarked for the projects, and address the gaps in health infrastructure, particularly the people of Shama and its environs.
According to him, the objective of the project is to provide access to healthcare in the Shama District in the Western Region through the reconstruction and equipping of the Shama Hospital into an ultramodern health facility.
He explained that the hospital project was also in line with government’s commitment to enhancing healthcare infrastructure to provide universal healthcare to all citizens.
Dr. Assibey Yeboah said the Sinsure-backed term loan would provide a total of €33,807,108.24 to finance the construction and equipping of the Shama District Hospital.
La General Hospital
On the reconstruction of the La General Hospital, the Finance Committee Chairman said the government was seeking a total of €66,557,744.35 from the Standard Chartered Bank to put up a new hospital facility to replace the old structure.
He explained that the reconstruction of the hospital falls within government’s commitment to upgrade health care infrastructure in the country.
Government said the project is intended to ensure equity and regional balance to meeting its commitment towards the provision of universal health care delivery to the people in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG3).
By Ernest Kofi Adu, Parliament House