The Minister for Health, Kwaku Agyemang-Manu, has revealed that Government has secured funding for the construction of the second phase of the Greater Accra Regional Hospital known as Ridge.
Upgraded and commissioned by former President John Dramani Mahama in 2016, the first phase of the hospital now has a bed capacity of 420 prior to which was 192.
However, according to the Director of the health facility, Dr. Emmanuel Srofenyoh, demand for health services have remained increasingly high forcing authorities of the hospital to discharge patients who have received some level of attention in order to make room for new patients, a phenomenon which has been the bane of the health sector.
“The demand for healthcare services in the region is increasing rapidly and so even though we have a 420-bed capacity hospital, the demand is still high and we still have patients who come and we do not have bed, sometimes we have to discharge someone in order to get bed for a new patient” said the Director.
Dr. Emmanuel Srofenyoh made this observation in July 2021 when he called for the completion of the phase two, during the celebration of the fifth anniversary since the operationalization of the first phase.
This concern has instigated the need to construct the second phase to augment the support services provided by the health facility, for which reason government has been sourcing funding.
At a press briefing held at the Ministry of Information’s conference room on Wednesday, February 9, 2022, Mr. Agyemang-Manu indicated that a fund has been sourced and process in relation to the project, would soon be effected.
“We have found somebody who is bringing the money and I believe not long we’ll get the regulatory processes done for us to do the Ridge hospital [phase 2],” he said, adding that the government has not abandoned the hospital.
The second phase, if completed, would increase the capacity from 420 to 620 bed capacity together with other ancillary services to be provided by the facility.
