President Akufo-Addo has hinted that 34,300 health workers will be employed under the Agenda 111 initiative when the projects are completed.

In addition to this, he stated that the ongoing project will create jobs for about 33,900 construction workers who would assist with the construction of the various hospitals across the country.

He said this would help the state deal with the deficit in health infrastructure, which hamper the effective delivery of healthcare and lead to loss of lives.

“It is an ambitious project, which must and will be done, and which will create some 33,900 jobs for construction workers and, on completion, some 34,300 jobs for health workers. Mr Speaker, I have to report that, like all major construction projects, it is evident that the initial schedule we gave for the completion of the Agenda 111 was overly ambitious.

“Identifying suitable sites around the country, for example, has turned out to be even more problematic than had been anticipated. I am able to say that a great deal of the preparatory work has now been completed, and work has started at 87 of the 111 sites. I have been assured that preliminary work on the remaining 24 sites is ongoing,” he said.

Presenting his address on the state of the nation in Parliament, Wednesday, Mr Akufo-Addo stressed that all efforts are being made to ensure the completion and commissioning of these projects before January 7, 2025.

According to him, “we have every intention of seeing this project through to a successful end, which will enable me to commission all 111 hospitals.”

“At the normal rate of growth, we are not likely to make up the deficit in our health facilities infrastructure for a very long time; hence, the need for a special dedicated programme of infrastructural development.

“We are undertaking the construction of 111 entities, which comprise standard 100-bed district hospitals for 101 districts without hospitals, with accommodation for doctors and nurses; six new regional hospitals for each of the six new regions; the rehabilitation of the Effia-Nkwanta Hospital in the Western Region; one new regional hospital for the Western Region; and three psychiatric hospitals for each of the three zones of the country, i.e. North, Middle and Coastal.”

Meanwhile, he has expressed satisfaction with the measures government put in place to fight the Covid-19 pandemic, saying the management of the virus in the country has been one of the best in the world.

He said despite the unpreparedness of the state for the pandemic, the threat of the coronavirus could not break the economy due to government’s decisive measures which have been recognised globally.

“We’ve had our fair share of the Covid denials and conspiracy theories, but it is fair to say, Mr Speaker, that our management of the Covid-19 outbreak has been exemplary. It has been so acclaimed by the world. With the great mercies of the Almighty, we have saved lives,” he said.

Agenda 111

President Akufo-Addo on August 17, 2021, launched the Agenda 111 project.

The project will cover the design, procurement, construction, equipping and commissioning of 101 District Hospitals, 6 Regional Hospitals in newly created regions, and 1 Regional Hospital in the Western Region, 2 Psychiatric Hospitals in Kumasi and Tamale a redeveloped Accra Psychiatric Hospital.

The project is to ensure that Ghanaians nationwide have access to quality healthcare services and with the National Health Insurance Scheme, boost the provision of healthcare infrastructure and financial accessibility to healthcare.

Doctors, nurses and other health personnel will have accommodation in the hospitals to be constructed.

According to the Agenda 111 detailed document, the facilities that will be enjoyed by Ghanaians include four state-of-the-art surgical theatres for maternity, obstetrics and gynaecology, a full complement of male, female, pediatric and isolation wards, among others.

According to government, on completion, the venture will be “the biggest investment in healthcare infrastructure in the country since independence.”