The government’s flagship agenda to build 111 hospitals across the country is expected to create about 25,000 direct and indirect jobs in Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has said.
The project which commenced simultaneously at 88 sites across the country today (17 August) seeks to bridge health infrastructure gap following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Speaking at a ceremony at Trede in Kumasi to officially mark the commencement of work on the Agenda 111 Hospital Project, Akufo-Addo said: “I expect Ghanaian entrepreneurs to take advantage of the opportunities provided by the significant investment and produce quality building and construction materials required by the hospitals.”
“We have incorporated into this agenda the strategy of direct and indirect job openings to stimulate the economies of the various communities in which the facilities are to be located.
“This include the creation of an estimated 25,000 jobs during the construction and design phase ie jobs for architects, electrical and biomedical engineers, masons, carpenters, tailors and related professionals and artisans as well as other indirect jobs,” the president stated.
The project is also expected to employ some 20,000 health professionals across the country and will be completed in 18 months. Currently, the government has made available US$100 million to start the project.
The project’s objectives
The objective of the project as set out by the president is to ensure that Ghanaians in every district and region in the country have access to quality health-care services.
The Agenda 111 project, together with the National Health Insurance Scheme, is expected to boost both provision of health-care infrastructure and financial accessibility of health care, in line with the government’s commitment to ensure universal health care for all citizens and attainment of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG3).
On completion, the hospitals will fulfil the government’s health policy of a hospital in each district and region.
The process of making good on the deliverables will also create a model of accelerated construction for health facilities which can be developed for future health projects.
Scope of works
The Ministry of Health says the Agenda 111 project will cover the following deliverables: design, procurement, construction, equipping and commissioning of 101 district hospitals, six regional hospitals in the newly created regions (Bono, Bono East, North East, Oti, Savannah and Western North), as well as one new regional hospital in the Western Region, two psychiatric hospitals (Kumasi and Tamale) and redevelopment of the Accra Psychiatric Hospital.
The Western Region will also benefit from rehabilitation of Effia Nkwanta Hospital.
All of the hospitals are expected to have a complement of staff accommodation for doctors, nurses and other health workers.
Fred Dzakpata
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