Bright Simons of IMANI Africa has accused Asaase Radio of distorting his views, particularly on the Agenda 111 project.
He criticized the station for avoiding meaningful policy debate and misrepresenting his statements to mislead their audience.
Simons criticized Asaase Radio’s recent claims on district hospital costs, labeling them baseless.
He noted that while the Ministry of Health estimates an average cost of $32 million for model district hospitals, this figure depends on specific designs and funding sources, which Asaase failed to consider.
“For example, the project most similar to Agenda 111 in recent times was the initiative by the Mills government to build 7 district hospitals through a contract with NMS Infrastructure, which was funded by Barclays Bank.
“The total cost of that initiative, dubbed “Built to Care”, was initially pegged at $175 million and then subsequently revised to $162.9 million at the time of parliamentary approval. The average cost per project would thus have been $23 million”.
Bright Simons
Simons further pointed out that comparing NMS projects to Agenda 111 hospitals is flawed due to differences in specifications and funding.
For instance, while Agenda 111 hospitals are standardized at 100 beds, some NMS facilities, like Sekyere Kumawu, are 120 beds, making cost comparisons per bed ($191,000 vs. $179,000) closer than they seem.
He added that NMS projects were commercially funded through a Barclays Bank loan, meaning financing costs influenced their final price.
In contrast, Agenda 111 has relied on general taxation, but if commercial funding is introduced, overall costs could rise significantly due to added financing expenses.
Bright Simons noted that NMS district hospitals included specialty modules, such as dental and pediatric facilities, which are absent in Agenda 111 hospitals like the one in Asuogyaman.
He argued that a like-for-like comparison reveals Agenda 111 hospitals are more expensive per bed when amenities are fully accounted for.
He also highlighted poor project management, citing the Nabdam District Hospital, which was awarded without competitive tender in 2021.
Simons indicated that by mid-2024, the project remained incomplete and was re-awarded to two new contractors, again without tender, further escalating costs. “It is impossible to see how such a project could avoid substantial budget overruns”.
Simons criticized the Agenda 111 project for abandoned sites, such as Adeiso, where contractors took advance payments and absconded.
He also noted significant delays, including the Koforidua Hospital, which remains far from completion despite election-year efforts to revive it.
Agenda 111 Costs and Planning Questioned
Bright Simons criticized Agenda 111, noting projected costs far exceed initial estimates, with analysts suggesting $2 billion more is needed for completion.
He argued the initiative lacked proper planning, highlighting the neglect of 21 abandoned health projects while launching 111 new ones.
He criticized the decision to launch 111 new hospitals while 21 existing health projects, including La General Hospital and Afari Military Hospital, remain abandoned.
“That the government rushed into this project primarily because it wanted to dispense juicy contracts is incontrovertible. Even the total number of hospitals was being determined on the fly. Initially, 88 district hospitals were planned. Then the decision was made to increase that number to 101.
“The current number is 104. Plus two new psychiatric hospitals and 7 regional hospitals. Some of the districts chosen, like Garu and Tempane, even overlapped with those previously prioritized under the NMS Built-to-Care Initiative, showing clear duplication”.
Bright Simons
Simons also criticized Agenda 111 for its blanket strategy of providing a hospital to every district, ignoring regional differences in population and healthcare needs.
He suggested smaller districts may be better served by polyclinics rather than full hospitals.
As such, Simons dismissed Asaase’s criticism of his view that the Health Ministry was not leading Agenda 111, noting the initiative wasn’t part of the Ministry’s strategic plan or expenditure framework.
He also pointed out that rural health infrastructure isn’t solely managed by the government, citing the Presbyterian-run 177-bed facility in Donkorkrom as an example.
Simons criticized the decision to build an Agenda 111 hospital in Tease, close to an existing health center that struggles with basic resources, calling it a failure in spatial planning and prioritization.
He also highlighted the overlooked staffing and operational costs of Agenda 111 facilities, noting the growing backlog of trained health workers and the National Health Insurance Authority’s debts.
With the current administration failing to secure funding for up to 95% of the project, he questioned who would bear the responsibility for completing these poorly planned, crony-driven initiatives. “So, what exactly is Asaase Radio cawing on about, then?”
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