Former Health Minister, Dr. Bernard Okoe-Boye, has criticised the government for neglecting the Agenda 111 hospital projects, saying the delay is worsening unemployment among health workers.
Speaking on Asempa FM Ekosii Sen show, Dr. Okoe-Boye expressed concern that over 70,000 trained health professionals remain jobless, even though the completion of just 30 Agenda 111 facilities could provide jobs for 12,000 to 15,000 of them.
“What concerns me is that the current Minister of Health stated we have over 70,000 health workers at home and not actively working. If nothing else, 30 facilities under the agenda could employ at least 12,000 to 15,000 health workers. There is a pressing problem at hand while hospitals are nearing completion, yet the government has not taken any action,” he said.
He said the government’s prolonged audit of the projects, which has lasted nearly 10 months without results, is stalling progress and allowing hospital structures to deteriorate.
Dr Okoe-Boye emphasised that hospitals do more than create jobs for medical staff; they also stimulate local economies and attract investment.
He urged the government to honour its promise to complete the Agenda 111 projects to ease pressure on the health sector and boost development in rural areas.
“They mentioned conducting an audit, but after nearly 10 months, no one knows the results, and there is confusion about what is happening. The infrastructure is deteriorating. Hospitals do not just create jobs for health workers; each hospital serves as an economic hub that attracts investments.
“We deliberately initiated the Agenda 111 projects mostly outside of urban areas to broaden opportunities, and we constructed roads leading to the hospitals for easy access. They promised to continue these projects, so what is happening now? We are reminding the government of their commitments, and they need to act on it,” he stated.
Source: Farida Seidu| Adomonline
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