Ablekuman health centre project abandoned

The construction of a two-story health center at Ablekuman-Abase in the Ga Central Municipality of the Greater Accra Region has been abandoned for over 4 years despite the unavailability of a hospital in the area.

Construction of the facility dubbed the ‘Ga Central Municipal Hospital’ started in 2016 as part of efforts to bring healthcare services closer to the inhabitants.

The edifice, which has been roofed, comprises of an outpatient department, Ear Nose and Throat unit, dispensaries, laboratories, theatre, wards, offices for doctors and consulting rooms among others.

It is expected to serve over 150,000 people within the municipality.

However, residents still struggle to access healthcare as the nearest hospital to the municipality was the Amasaman hospital, in the Ga West Municipality.

Currently, the only public health facility in the area is the Ga Central Clinic which residents say lacked the necessary facilities to serve the over 150,000 people living in the area.

When contacted, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of the area, Mr Bashiru Mohammed said he and his team had already paid a visit to the site of the project and assured that plans were underway to fully complete it.

He mentioned that the significance of healthcare delivery to the people could not be underrated, adding that the government had not abandoned the edifice.

The MCE called on residents to remain calm as steps were being taken to address the situation.

In separate interviews with the Ghanaian Times, some community members said they had lost hope that the project would be completed now as it had remained at a standstill for more than three years.

Mr Sampson Andoh, a 43-year-old mason, and resident of Ablekuma said completing the project and making it operational was what residents needed at the moment because some persons needing urgent medical attention ended up losing their lives before arrival at the Amassaman hospital or any other bigger health facility.

An opinion leader in Sowutuom, Mr James Kojo Boateng lamented the situation had caused residents a lot of inconveniences, adding that delay in getting medical attention when needed, resulted in death sometimes.

Mr Adams Benyin, an opinion leader in Olebu, bemoaned that scores of pregnant women with high-risk pregnancies traveled long distances for antenatal care and continued to live in fear of losing their lives when labor sets in, and they fail to get to a well-equipped health facility in time.

Mr Ralph Apetorgbor, a resident of Anyaa and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Deputy Communications Officer of the Anyaa Sowutuom Constituency said the completion of the abandoned project was long overdue and called on the government to expedite action in ensuring that.

“We hold the government responsible for the delay because the Ga Central Hospital was supposed to have been completed and operationalized since 2017 but here we are today with no hope of its completion. Residents are suffering, we need help,” he lamented.

Ms Mamish Katumi, a resident of Lomnava called on the relevant authorities to come to their aid and alleviate their sufferings, especially the women who lost their lives or babies at childbirth due to the absence of prompt medical care.