Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has commissioned the Tolon District Hospital on the last day of his three-day tour of the Northern Region.

The 60-bed Ultra-Modern Hospital for the Tolon District is one of the six medical facilities which begun three (3) years ago.

The other facilities are the 80 Bed Hospital at Somanya in the Eastern Region; 80 Bed District Hospital at Buipe in the Savannah Region; 60 Bed Hospital at Wheta in the Volta Region; 60 Bed Hospital at Sawla in the Savannah Region and a 30 Bed Polyclinic at Bamboi in the Savannah Region.

The Tolon hospital has several departments including an Outpatient and Emergency Department, In-patient Wards for male, female and paediatrics, obstetrics & gynaecology (maternity and child health), surgery including an intensive care unit, physiotherapy, pharmacy, diagnostic services including x-ray, laboratory, and ultrasound, and a mortuary.

To ensure that the Hospital functions without any major obstacles, the full complement of electro-mechanical systems and medical equipment have been provided.

The Hospital is equipped with modern medical equipment, key among them being X- ray machines (stationed & mobile), ultrasound, surgical equipment, medical gases and patient monitors.

Addressing the chiefs and people of Tolon on Monday, November 23, Vice President Bawumia emphasised that contrary to the propaganda that the NPP government has not put up any hospital over the past four years, "today’s event is a testament to the fact that truth crawls but will always triumph over falsehood.

"All of these facilities are practically complete and will be inaugurated one after the other by the close of the year, 2020.

"The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has already inaugurated the 60 Bed Ultra-Modern District Hospital at Wheta in the Ketu North District on 20th October 2020. The rest will follow soon."

Dr Bawumia indicated that "Under the Agenda 111, the Government led by Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is cutting sods for new hospitals to be constructed in districts without one. Government is also commissioning already completed ones. 

This will ensure access to healthcare as envisioned in the Universal Health Coverage programme."

The Vice President stressed Government’s commitment to providing quality, accessible and affordable healthcare in line with the Sustainable Development Goals is still on the front burner, and the projects in Somanya, Wheta, Sawla, Buipe, Bamboi and Tolon will improve the stock of Infrastructural facilities, and as a result close the equity gaps in geographical access to health services.

"The interventions made by Government in the health sector have been timely, particularly on the back of the Covid-19 pandemic. We would have succumbed to the devastating effect of the outbreak of the Corona Virus pandemic but for skillful management of the pandemic by the Ghana Health Service and the health workers. 

"Indeed, together with all Health workers and the support of our traditional leaders and other key stakeholders, we have demonstrated our outstanding commitment to promoting the health and wellbeing of all residents in Ghana.

"We shall continue to sustain our agenda of building a robust, resilient and sustainable health care system for current and future generations."

Bemoaning the absence of a culture of maintenance for facilities, Vice President Bawumia expressed delight that the scope of the Tolon and other projects have been designed to address the issues of maintenance and sustainability with a 2-year post-completion maintenance and training programme.

"On this score, I will entreat the Ghana Health Service to liaise with the Contractor’s maintenance team to effectively maintain the hospital.

"Beyond the 2-year period, I expect a full transfer of knowledge and skills so that the hospital does not run down as has happened to most public facilities. The joy we are sharing today must translate into the maintenance and management of this facility," he stressed.