In a bid to familiarize himself with ongoing and completed health projects and to assess the progress of healthcare delivery in the Western Region, the Minister for Health, Hon. Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye, has embarked on a two-day working visit to several health facilities.
This visit, which underscored the government’s commitment to strengthening the country’s healthcare system, is part of a broader effort to ensure that health services across the country are efficient, effective, and accessible to all citizens.
On the first day of his tour, Dr. Okoe Boye visited the Elubo Government Hospital, a facility that serves as a critical healthcare provider for the border town of Elubo. The hospital has been instrumental in providing essential health services to both locals and travelers crossing the Ghana-Côte d’Ivoire border.
At the facility, Dr. Okoe Boye interacted with healthcare workers, patients, and administrators, taking note of the challenges they face in delivering quality healthcare.
“We have visited three facilities; Nsuaem, Elubo, and the Municipal Hospital. We must understand that the best way to assess our healthcare system is to experience what happens in our hospitals.
“The best way to ensure that the right things happen is by staying in contact with those who work in our hospitals. That is why we are here today,”
Hon. Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye, Minister for Health
The Polyclinic, located in the mining town of Tarkwa, serves a large population, including mine workers and their families. Dr. Okoe Boye’s visit to this facility was particularly important, as he sought to understand the unique healthcare needs of the community and how the government’s investments in the Polyclinic were impacting service delivery.
During his visit, Dr. Okoe Boye and his team inspected various health facilities, including the Elubo Government Hospital and the Tarkwa Nsuaem Polyclinic, both of which are part of the six district hospitals that the Akufo-Addo government has invested in as part of its healthcare infrastructure agenda.
These visits provided the health minister with an opportunity to engage directly with healthcare workers, listen to their concerns, and explore possible solutions to enhance service delivery.
In his interactions with healthcare staff, Dr. Okoe Boye emphasized the government’s dedication to improving the working conditions of healthcare professionals, especially those stationed in remote areas.
Dr. Okoe Boye highlighted the importance of providing adequate resources, such as medical equipment and a conducive working environment, to ensure that healthcare workers can perform their duties effectively.
Effia Nkwanta Hospital Expansion
The second day of the Health Minister’s visit focused on the Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital, a pivotal healthcare institution in the Western Region. The hospital is currently undergoing significant rehabilitation and expansion to transform it from a 250-bed facility into a 500-bed teaching hospital.
This expansion is expected to greatly enhance the capacity of the hospital to deliver specialized healthcare services, not only to residents of the Western Region but also to people from neighboring regions.
Dr. Okoe Boye met with representatives from various agencies under the Ministry of Health as well as staff of the Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital.
The discussions centered on the challenges affecting the delivery of quality healthcare at the facility and across the region. Among the issues raised were the need for improved infrastructure, better medical equipment, and enhanced staff welfare.
“We are focusing on the equipment, the environment, and the people who work in our hospitals,” Dr. Okoe Boye affirmed, underscoring the government’s holistic approach to healthcare improvement.
Accompanying the health minister on his tour was the Western Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, who urged the people of the Western Region to support the government’s efforts to complete the ongoing hospital projects.
Mr. Darko-Mensah emphasized that the completion of these projects would not only benefit the local population but also contribute to the overall improvement of the country’s healthcare system.
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