The president of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA), Frank Serebour, has voiced deep concerns over the stalled operationalization of hospitals under the Agenda 111 project despite the massive investment made into the initiative.
“As for what has happened, nobody is happy with it. I don’t think anyone can sit here and say they are happy that we’ve sunk $400 million into a project, and as of today, not even one is operationalized. Obviously, we are worried,” he lamented in an interview on Abusua965.
Serebour emphasized that waiting for full completion before opening the facilities is unnecessary, advocating for a phased approach to ensure that at least some hospitals begin operations.
“Can’t we start recruitment processes to ensure that training is ongoing? Not all of the training you will conduct is clinical; even ethics and how to manage the place are part of the training,” he stated.
He further compared the situation to the Bekwai Government Hospital, where staff and patients were gradually integrated into the facility while construction was being finalized.
“This 95% completion, they say, is not operational, which is what we are arguing about. I don’t see why we should be arguing about it.
“Operating a hospital is like building your own house; you don’t need to finish every single detail before moving in, unless you are in a comfortable position and don’t need the house urgently,” he argued.
He called on authorities to prioritize staffing and administrative processes to expedite the opening of the completed hospitals, stressing that delays only worsen the country’s healthcare challenges.
“For me, as a health professional, my paramount interest lies in witnessing these hospitals become fully functional, with dedicated staff providing essential treatments to patients,” he added.
