Govt to build 88 hospitals across the country to improve health care
The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has vowed to build 88 hospitals across the country within a year to speed up health care delivery to the citizens.
According to him, the outbreak of the novel coronavirus has exposed the deficiency of the country’s health sectors thus underscored his commitment to bridge the gap.
Speaking in a televised address today in Accra, the President assured that he would build 10 hospitals in Ashanti Region, nine in Volta and central, eight in Eastern, seven in Greater Accra and upper East, five in Northern and Oti, five in Upper West and Bono, four in Western North and Western, three in Ahafo and Savannah, two in Bono East and North East Region.
Each of the hospitals, he noted would have quality standard designed 100 beds with accommodation for doctors, nurses and other health workers.
Nana Akufo-Addo said plans were far advanced to building six regional hospitals and rehabilitation of some existing health sectors including Effia Nkwanta in the Western Region.
He promised to beef up actions in improving existing laboratories and establishing new ones across every region for testing infectious diseases and control centres.
The President observed that the outbreak of the pandemic exposed the inequality distribution of the country’s health facility, thus the new move.
“We do not have infectious diseases health sectors in the country and enough testing and isolation centres for disease like COVID-19, we must do something urgently,” he added.
Nana Akufo-Addo said the major investment in the health sector would shape the country’s health system in a good direction to help in the developmental agenda of the country.
In order to mitigate the spread of the virus, he also extended the ban on social gathering for two weeks and urged the citizenry to adhere to the social distancing and hygiene protocol while wearing facial mask everywhere.
The President said scientists of the country observed that the virus spread via droplets through the acts of singing, talking, coughing and sneezing, adding that the wear of the mask would prove effective in sustaining it.
He called for sacrifice and patriotism among the people to defeat the virus, stressing that people with underlying health conditions like Asthma, heart disease and diabetes should take extra medical action in order not to risk their lives to the deadly respiratory ailment.
BY JOYCELINE NATALLY CUDJOE