The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Nkwanta South in the Oti Region, Joseph Antwi Awal, has appealed to the Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, to renovate government hospital facilities in the area to give them a facelift.

According to him, the district and municipal government hospitals in the region have not undergone any major renovation since their construction, leaving the structures visibly old and unattractive to both patients and visitors.

The MCE made the appeal when the Health Minister paid a working visit to the Oti Region, where he interacted with government workers, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MDCEs), and traditional authorities at Dambai in the Krachi East Municipality.

Mr Awal noted that the lack of regular maintenance has left some hospital facilities in a deteriorated state, posing potential risks to patients seeking medical care.

He also appealed to the Minister to consider employing casual workers who have served in the hospitals for many years, stressing that doing so would help strengthen staff capacity.

He acknowledged the dedication of these workers, noting that they have played a critical role in maintaining and supporting various hospital facilities.

The Dean of MDCEs in the Oti Region, Prosper Addo, also supported the call for the employment of the casual workers, stating that their continued service has contributed significantly to the smooth running of health facilities in the region.

He expressed confidence that formalising their employment would help improve the quality of healthcare delivery.

Addressing chiefs and residents at Dambai, Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh expressed concern about the deteriorating state of government health facilities, describing the situation as alarming.

He disclosed that the Ministry of Health would soon roll out a new policy that will allocate 20 per cent of hospitals’ Internally Generated Funds (IGF) towards maintenance and renovation works.

The Minister emphasised that the policy is aimed at transforming the poor state of government hospital facilities across the country and ensuring improved healthcare delivery nationwide.