Healthcare under pressure: Mintah Akandoh flags service delivery gaps

The Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has conducted unannounced visits to the Achimota and Ga North Municipal Hospitals. This move, he said, was aimed at assessing healthcare delivery and uncovering pressing challenges facing the two public facilities.

The visits, which took place on Tuesday, July 30, 2025, form part of the Minister’s broader efforts to reset the country’s healthcare system and improve the quality of service delivery in line with the government’s agenda for a more responsive health sector.

At the Achimota Municipal Hospital, Hon. Akandoh toured several key departments, including the maternity ward, female ward, consulting rooms, pharmacy, and the VIP ward. During his interaction with patients and staff, concerns were raised over long queues, delayed services, and staff shortages.

One critical observation was at Room 7 of the Medical Outpatient Department (OPD), which was empty at the time of the visit. Hospital management explained that although seven staff members were assigned to the unit, three were on leave and one was on sick duty, leaving only three staff to attend to a large number of patients.

Speaking to journalists after the visit, the Health Minister described the situation as deeply concerning and called for stronger supervision and better staff coordination.

“These are avoidable service gaps. We need to ensure proper planning around staffing and leave schedules so we don’t compromise care,” Hon. Akandoh stated.

At the Ga North Municipal Hospital, the Minister was met with a different set of challenges. Staff highlighted persistent technical issues, including a faulty anaesthesia machine that has disrupted surgical procedures. They also pointed to frequent network downtimes, which hinder NHIS processing and frustrate both workers and patients.

The Minister listened to complaints about outdated medical equipment, co-payments under the NHIS, and the urgent need for infrastructure upgrades. Staff appealed for support in replacing obsolete tools and systems.

In response, Hon. Akandoh acknowledged the systemic weaknesses and stressed the need for immediate intervention.

“We are taking note of all these concerns. Healthcare must be predictable and patient-centered. The Ministry will move quickly to address these bottlenecks through better supervision, staffing, and equipment upgrades,” he assured.

He reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to improving the overall patient experience, pledging that support would be extended to both facilities in the coming weeks.

The Minister also hinted at the formation of a technical task force to assess critical equipment needs nationwide and ensure timely repairs or replacements, especially in underserved hospitals.