Bolgatanga, Dec. 16, GNA- There are no funds to procure equipment for the Upper East Regional Hospital phase two-project.
Mr Stephen Yakubu, Upper East Regional Minister, said the project, completed in 2016, was not operational for lack of logistics.
The Minister said the Government, through the Ministry of Health, was seeking funding to provide the necessary equipment and logistics for the hospital, which is a major referral centre to improve health delivery in the region.
Phase two of the regional hospital with a bed capacity of about 275 was started in 2014 and completed in 2016.
However, it has since not been put to use due to a lack of funds to equip the facility.
This was revealed at an end of year soiree organized for journalists at the Residency in Bolgatanga.
The facility comprised top and down floors designed to house several units and departments with the top floor made of about six wards.
The down floor has been designed to house the accident and emergency department, X-ray department, laboratory services, blood bank, Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic, Ophthalmology and Pharmacy departments, among others.
In 2019, the government announced that it had secured $20 million from the Saudi government to purchase the equipment and tools to make it functional and that it was going through the procurement processes.
Several years down the line, the facility has not been equipped, compelling management of the hospital to continue to squeeze patients at the old facility.
The Regional Minister noted that the Saudi government was not interested in the loan deal aimed at equipping the facility anymore, hence the procurement process was truncated.
“My understanding is that the Ministry is trying very hard to get another sponsor so that they can then go through the procurement process very quickly so that we can get our logistics to open our hospital.
“Anytime I go to Accra, I always find time to go to the Minister of Health to fight for our hospital and I hope that very soon the issue will be resolved,” he said.
Mr Yakubu noted that apart from efforts the government was making to equip phase two of the hospital, the rehabilitation and expansion work on phase three of the hospital was ongoing.
He said, “some new facilities added include mortuary, kitchen, Central Sterilisation and Supply Department, Laundry and Mothers Hostel, 39 units of doctors and staff accommodation.”
He said road and drainage works, adjunct clinic block, which houses an Out-Patient Department suite, consulting rooms, operating theatres, wards, accident and emergency department, dental, X-ray, exit department, borehole, water system and biogas waste disposal system were also to be executed.
“Upon completion, the bed capacity would have been at 300 with surgical block, ICU, medical gas building, fence wall with a gatehouse energy farm and prayer house shall be in place,” he added.
GNA