The Minister of Finance, Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam, has declared that the government is taking proactive steps to finance key health projects that had stalled, without relying on donors.
He stated that the President has directed funds to be allocated within the budget to resume work on projects affected by the existing domestic debt restructuring, initiated after the country’s IMF bailout.
Consequently, projects such as the La General Hospital and the Komfo Anokye School of Maternity and Children’s Block have resumed, with plans underway to complete several Agenda 111 projects this year.
Dr. Adam made these remarks during the opening of the 2024 Ghana Health Sector Annual Summit in Accra, where health, finance, and social development experts, as well as civil society organizations, gathered to discuss issues such as financing essential medicines and improving healthcare delivery.
He emphasized the government’s commitment to ensuring that key health facilities continue functioning effectively for the benefit of ordinary Ghanaians, even in the face of economic challenges.
“This is why the contractors working at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital have re-mobilised, because we have had to find money from the budget, because donors are no longer present as a result of this crisis.
“And therefore, based on the President’s directive, we found some money from the budget for the contractors to re-mobilise. “You also will notice that the La General Hospital is also ongoing, also funded from the budget, and no longer waiting for the donor to disburse money towards the project,” he added.
Dr. Adam also highlighted ongoing efforts to complete more health projects, including COVID-19 hospital projects, and acknowledged the need for sustained investment in healthcare to address existing challenges and maintain progress in the sector.
Additionally, Bernard Okoe Boye, the Representative of the President on Health, outlined the Ministry of Health’s plans to enhance healthcare delivery and respond to public health emergencies.
Bright Amissah-Nyarko, President of Civil Society Organizations in Health, urged the President to prioritize the completion and operationalization of at least 10 Agenda 111 projects by 2025.