The government has announced a decisive financial intervention to fast-track the long-delayed completion of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) Teaching Hospital, pledging a total of GHS 46 million under the Reset Agenda to bring the stalled project to fruition after nearly two decades of dormancy.
Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu made the announcement during the climax of the School of Medical Sciences’ 50th anniversary celebration in Kumasi, held under the theme, “A Glance at the Past, A Glimpse into the Future.” He emphasized that the government was not only determined to complete the project but also to ensure that it becomes a center of excellence in medical training and research.
“The government is committed to seeing the KNUST Teaching Hospital facility through to completion. And I’m happy to announce that under our Reset Agenda, we are committing GHS 46 million for the completion of the teaching hospital”.
Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu
Hon. Iddrisu disclosed that President John Dramani Mahama had directed the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) to make an additional commitment of $38 million for the equipping of the hospital. “That will be part of the 2025 to 2026 formula of the GETFund,” he added.
According to him, the funds are being structured in a way that ensures equity in resource allocation across higher learning institutions. “I have instructed the Administrator of the GETFund, and I’m structuring the expenditure because I have an onerous responsibility to be fair to other institutions of higher learning. So, 46 plus 38 is this year done,” he stated.
Construction of Two Multipurpose Lecture Theatres
Hon. Iddrisu further announced that the government’s 2027 formula would include the construction of two multipurpose lecture theatres for KNUST, each costing $10 million. “Into our 2027 formula, we will do two of the multi-purpose lecture theatres for you at 10 USD,” he disclosed.
The minister directed Consar Limited, the contractor executing the civil works on the project, to return to the site within 30 days to ensure timely completion. “I reach out to the contractor executing the civil work, Consar Limited, and ask them to submit their IPCs and return to the site within the next 30 days for the completion of the civil work,” he said.
When completed, the 71-acre teaching hospital will host a cardiothoracic and neurosurgical center, diagnostic and laboratory units, a morgue, administration and outpatient department (OPD) blocks, wards, a security post, and a laundry unit, among other essential facilities.
The KNUST Teaching Hospital project was first initiated in July 2007 when the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, cut the sod for construction to begin. However, nearly 18 years later, the project remains incomplete despite several phases of progress and renewed government assurances.
In June 2025, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II publicly called on the government to prioritize the completion of the long-stalled hospital to enhance medical training and healthcare delivery. His appeal underscored the growing urgency to provide adequate teaching and clinical infrastructure to meet the increasing demand for medical education in Ghana.
Transformative Intervention
The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has since welcomed the government’s renewed commitment, describing it as a timely and transformative intervention. A senior official of the Association expressed optimism that the completion of the facility would significantly improve the training of medical doctors and allied health professionals in Ghana.
“For me, it’s very big and welcoming news, and I think that it’s high time we are able to do something like that. If you look at the number of people who want to go to medical schools and the limited avenues available, you realize many are disappointed because that is a dream they would have loved to pursue”.
GMA Senior Official
He added that the completion of the hospital would help address Ghana’s doctor-to-patient deficit. “We still need a lot of doctors in the country so that we can ensure that at every corner you go, every facility you attend, you have a qualified medical doctor attending to you. So I see this as very good news, and I’m hoping and praying that things are facilitated so that the promise comes to pass very, very soon,” he stated.
The Dean of the KNUST School of Medical Sciences, Professor Akwasi Antwi-Kusi, also emphasized the critical need for continued government investment in medical education. He urged policymakers to make sustainable financing a priority to expand teaching and training opportunities for future health professionals.
“I speak to you not just as a dean but as a citizen who sees the urgency daily. If we do not invest now, Ghana will not have the doctors it needs in the years ahead. We need your leadership to drive policy that expands medical education. We need your commitment to innovative financing that will help to expand our teaching sites.”
Professor Akwasi Antwi-Kusi
Professor Antwi-Kusi further noted that the facility, once completed, would not only enhance the quality of clinical education but also help reduce pressure on the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, which currently serves as the primary training site for KNUST’s medical students.
The KNUST Teaching Hospital project, estimated at a total cost of $125 million, is being executed by the College of Architecture and Planning of KNUST with support from the GETFund. It represents one of the most ambitious investments in Ghana’s medical education infrastructure and, when completed, is expected to significantly bolster the country’s healthcare capacity.
With this renewed government commitment, optimism has been rekindled that the project—long regarded as a symbol of delay and unfulfilled promise—may finally be completed to serve its purpose of nurturing the next generation of Ghanaian doctors and advancing medical research and innovation.
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