President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo says the Agenda 111 initiative will consolidate the health infrastructure base of the country and strengthen Ghana’s healthcare system against future pandemics.

Speaking to the chiefs and people of the Upper East Region as part of his thank-you visit to the region, in Bolgatanga, President Akufo-Addo said the hospitals being built under the policy were progressing steadily with some nearing completion.

“Some will be completed before I leave office and if you listen to me the rest will be completed by my successor and it will bring a major transformation to the health infrastructure of the country”, he said.

President Akufo-Addo said the outbreak of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic brought untold difficulties to the healthcare system in Ghana and that informed the government’s drastic and huge investment in the health sector, to prepare the country for future pandemics.

The President credited the Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia as the brain behind the construction of the Agenda 111 initiative, “when COVID broke out, it was a time of great anxiety especially in my thoughts as a leader of the country affected by this extraordinary pandemic, sleeping was never easy”.

He said it was the Vice President who first drew his attention to the issue that there were about 88 districts in the country which did not have district hospitals, adding, “frankly, when he said this to me my heart nearly jumped out”, and it was later confirmed and that informed the basis of the Agenda 111. President Akufo-Addo explained that Agenda 111 would bolster the country’s preparedness and resilience against future pandemics, assuring the public that some of the projects would be completed by the end of 2024.

In the Upper East Region, eight districts namely Bolgatanga East, Builsa South, Tempane, Binduri, Kassena-Nankana West, Nabdam, Garu and Pusiga are benefiting from the Agenda 111 policy and the projects are at various stages of completion.

On roads, President Akufo-Addo said there had been 40 per cent increment in road network in the region, rising from 3,755.84 kilometres in 2016 to 5,245 kilometres at the end of 2022 spreading across various districts in the region.

“The Bolgatanga-Bawku Road which was in poor condition is now in good condition with 83.4 kilometres out of the total 117 kilometres completed”, he said.

The President thanked the stakeholders including traditional and religious leaders, women and youth leaders, leadership and supporters of the New Patriotic Party among others for the support over the last eight years of his administration.

He urged the residents to vote Dr Bawumia into power in the December polls to build on the foundation of development already laid, to enhance sustainable development.