The Ministry of Health on Friday signed contracts agreements with 21 different contractors to construct new health centres and district hospitals to increase access to health facilities and improve health care services. Eighteen health centres would be built in all the regions with the Volta Region having three due to the high demand for health facilities. Three centres in the Northern, Western and Central regions would also be upgraded to district hospitals. Representatives from the 21 companies signed for their various companies whilst the Health Minister, Major (Rtd) Courage Quashigah signed on behalf of the Ministry. The construction is being jointly undertaken by Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Fund and Ghana government at a total cost of $10.5 million out of which OPEC Fund is contributing $8.5 million on loan and Ghana government bearing the difference. The three district hospitals would be Zabzugu Tatale in the Northern Region to serve the Northern belt, Assem Hospital in the Western Region to serve middle belt and Ajumako Hospital in the Central Region to serve the Southern belt. Major Quashigah said it was the first time in the history of the Ministry and reminded the contractors to ensure completion of the projects within six months for the health centres and 18 months for the district hospitals or face the penalty as stipulated in the contract. “That does not mean you should sacrifice the speed with efficiency and do any shoddy work because we will not take it kindly at all. Remember we are dealing with human lives,” he added. He urged the contractors to consider providing rain harvesting technologies to their buildings for use in time of water shortage. Mr Richard Berko Bempong of Osfield Enterprise, Civil Engineering Contractors, on behalf of the contractors thanked the ministry for awarding them the contracts and pledged that they would deliver on schedule. Source: GNA