The Minister of Finance Ken Ofori-Atta has said that the government has renegotiated the contract terms of the 160-bed La General Hospital project. The project, he said, would now be funded through the national budget. His comments come after the Minority Members of Parliament criticized the Minister of Health Kwaku Agyeman-Manu on the floor of Parliament on Tuesday, November 14, 2024, for failing to give timelines on when exactly the project would start.
But Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta told Parliament during the presentation of the 2024 budget statement on Wednesday, November 15 that “the contractor is expected back on site next week.” In the area of kidney patients needing dialysis treatment, Mr Ofori-Atta stated that to reduce the dialysis burden on the nation, a local team of Ghanaian doctors has been trained to provide kidney transplantation services in Ghana at a reduced cost and have successfully undertaken the first few kidney transplantations in the country.
“The Ministry of Finance will commission the 100-bed ultramodern Urology and Nephrology Centre of Excellence aimed at facilitating the provision of kidney transplantation services at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital. “The Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) acquired a new MRI Chiller System for Radiology to enhance imaging services. KBTH also initiated the manufacturing of Hypertonic Saline, a
a critical resource for surgeries and Hyponatremia treatment, making it the sole manufacturing site in Ghana,” he said.
Regarding other health projects in parts of the country, Mr Ofori-Atta said that the Ministry completed the following projects: construction of 5 health facilities in Elubo, Bogoso, Mpohor, Nsuaem and Wassa Dunkwa; upgrading of 1 public health facility in
Akontombra in the Western North Region; construction of 1 District Hospital at Sewua; construction of District Hospital at Konongo; modernization and equipping of Tetteh Quarshie “Pursuing Growth & Development Within a Stable Macroeconomic Environment”
“Memorial Hospital, Kibi District Hospital, Aburi and Atibie Hospitals; completion of the reactivated hospital project sites at Fomena and Takoradi European Flats Staff Accommodation projects; construction of Treatment and Holding Centres at Dodowa, Cape
Coast, Adaklu, Sewua, Kumasi South, Aflao, Elubo and Keta; rehabilitation of Fevers Unit at Korle Bu; construction of COVID-19 Isolation and Treatment Facilities at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital; construction of CHPS Compounds at Debiso, Tiawia and Nsutam.”
By: Laud Nartey
