Nursing News

Health Minister Pays Unannounced Visits to Achimota and Ga North Hospitals

Accra – The Minister for Health, Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has conducted unannounced visits to the Achimota Municipal Hospital and the Ga North Municipal Hospital to assess service delivery and identify areas requiring immediate attention.

At Achimota Municipal Hospital, the Minister inspected key units, including the maternity centre, female ward, VIP ward, consulting unit and pharmacy. During interactions with patients and staff, concerns were raised about delays in service, long queues and limited personnel. A notable bottleneck was observed at Room 7 of the Medical OPD, which was vacant at the time of the visit. Hospital management explained that of seven assigned staff, three were on leave and one was unwell, contributing to service delays across the outpatient department.

The visit to Ga North Municipal Hospital highlighted persistent operational constraints. Staff reported malfunctioning medical equipment most notably a broken anaesthesia machine, as well as frequent network downtimes that disrupt service delivery, particularly processing related to the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). Additional concerns were raised over co-payments under the NHIS and the generally outdated condition of many medical tools. Staff appealed for support to replace obsolete equipment to ensure safer and more efficient care.

Speaking to the media after the visits, Hon. Akandoh acknowledged the systemic gaps identified across both facilities and underscored the need for stronger supervision, adequate staffing and targeted equipment upgrades. He reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to “resetting” healthcare operations to improve the patient experience and clinical outcomes.

The unannounced inspections form part of ongoing efforts by the Ministry of Health to evaluate conditions on the ground and work with facility management to address shortcomings. Hospital leadership at both sites indicated their willingness to implement corrective actions but noted that sustained improvements would depend on timely staffing support, reliable network connectivity and the replacement of essential medical equipment.

The Ministry is expected to review the findings from the two facilities and coordinate with relevant agencies to prioritise interventions. Areas likely to receive immediate focus include filling critical staffing gaps, repairing or replacing malfunctioning equipment such as anaesthesia machines, and stabilising digital systems to minimise NHIS-related delays.

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