The Parliamentary Select Committee on Health has called on government to urgently complete the 500-bed maternity and children’s block at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), describing the prolonged delay as a waste of taxpayers’ money.
The committee made the appeal after inspecting the unfinished block and the ongoing construction of a new catheterisation laboratory at the hospital in Kumasi. Contractors told the committee that the cath lab is 67% complete and that its construction is on course for a December deadline.
Members of the committee toured the maternity and children’s block, which is meant to improve maternal and child healthcare but has remained unfinished for years. They also inspected the cath lab, a specialised facility expected to strengthen the hospital’s capacity to diagnose and treat cardiovascular conditions.
The visit placed the two projects side by side. One is advancing towards a set completion date, while the other has waited years for completion despite its importance to the country’s health system.
The Deputy Ranking Member of the committee, Patrick Boakye-Yiadom, expressed disappointment that a project intended to improve maternal and child healthcare has stayed unfinished for so long. He said the delay is out of step with the importance of the facility to the health system.
He blamed a pattern in which ongoing projects are not carried forward when governments change.
“Successive governments will come and will not continue projects that are ongoing. It’s very bad.”
Deputy Ranking Member of the committee, Patrick Boakye-Yiadom
Progress on the Maternity and Children’s Block
Mr. Boakye-Yiadom appealed to the Mahama administration to prioritise the project. He stressed that its completion would improve access to specialised healthcare for mothers and children from across Ghana and from neighbouring countries.
He tied the appeal to the stewardship of public funds, saying the delay reflects poorly on the use of taxpayers’ money.
“The delay in completing the 500-bed maternity and children’s block is a waste of taxpayers’ money. We must ensure that ongoing projects are continued and completed to benefit Ghanaians.”
Deputy Ranking Member of the committee, Patrick Boakye-Yiadom
The contractor disclosed to the committee that civil works on the maternity and children’s block are approximately 56 per cent complete, while procurement stands at about 75 per cent.
The figures show that the project is well advanced in the procurement of materials and equipment, with the remaining civil works as the main task to be completed before the block can be handed over.
Cath Lab at 67 Per Cent
The construction of the catheterisation laboratory has reached 67 per cent completion, according to the contractors. The project manager, Abraham Fiscian, said all the equipment required for the facility is already in the country, except for a lift.
He explained that the equipment will be installed once the finishing works are completed, and he said the project team is confident of meeting the December deadline.
The Chief Executive Officer of KATH, Dr. Paa Kwasi Baidoo, said the hospital is committed to working with the contractor and consultants to deliver the cath lab on or before December 31, 2026.
The date gives the project a firm deadline, and the hospital management has linked it to a working arrangement with the contractor and the consultants.
The Chairman of the committee, Dr. Kurt Mark Nawaane, expressed confidence that the facility will be handed over to government as scheduled. He described the cath lab as one of the President’s legacy projects and commended the contractor for the progress made.
Why the Projects Matter
KATH is a major referral hospital, and both projects target areas of specialised need. The cath lab is intended to widen the hospital’s ability to diagnose and treat cardiovascular conditions, and the maternity and children’s block is intended to improve care for mothers and children from across the country and beyond its borders.
The committee’s concern is that the cath lab’s progress should be matched by the maternity and children’s block, so that the benefits of both reach patients.
Attention now turns to the December 31 deadline for the cath lab, which depends on the completion of finishing works, the installation of equipment and the arrival of the lift.
For the maternity and children’s block, the committee’s appeal places the question before the administration. Completion of the remaining civil works and the delivery of the 500-bed facility will determine whether mothers and children can finally use the block that has been waited for years.
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