Oppong Nkrumah: Support government’s Agenda 111

Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, the Minister of Information, has called on communities to support the government’s flagship agenda to build 111 hospitals across the country.

The Agenda 111 initiative, which was announced by Nana Akufo-Addo last year, seeks to bridge health infrastructure gap following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Speaking on The Asaase Breakfast Show ahead of the commencement of the programme on Tuesday (17 August), Nkrumah said: “That is why we also make a call to the local communities in particular to support the contractors.

“There were places where it was difficulties to find lands because there were two or more chiefs, raising queries about the parcel of land.

“We anticipate that there could be the possibility of some of these challenges coming up, and that is why we are quick to draw the attention of local authorities, citizens to be supportive,” he said.

Job creation

Nkrumah is optimistic that the project will stimulate economic activities nationwide “because this comes to a community, create jobs, improve healthcare and adds to the layers of economic activities within the community”.

The government has made available a funding of 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

Asaase Radio 99.5 – tune in or log on to broadcasts online
Follow us on Twitter: @asaaseradio995
#AsaaseRadio
#TheVoiceofOurLand