Goaso residents criticise Health Minister for skipping municipal hospital during Ahafo visit

Residents of Goaso in the Ahafo Region have voiced their disappointment with Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh for omitting a visit to the Goaso Municipal Hospital during his recent working tour of the region.

The Minister was in the Ahafo Region to launch the Free Primary Healthcare Initiative and distribute medical equipment to various health facilities. However, he did not include the Goaso Municipal Hospital, the region’s largest government referral facility, in his itinerary.

Speaking to Adom News, local residents expressed their expectation that the Minister would firsthand assess the challenges facing the hospital, including logistical shortcomings and infrastructure deficits, which are critical to improving healthcare delivery in the area.

They argued that while reports on the hospital’s condition may have been provided to the Minister, a personal visit would offer a more accurate understanding of the situation on the ground, enabling him to engage directly with hospital management, staff, and patients to gather essential insights.

The residents also criticized the regional officials who accompanied the Minister, stating that they should have advocated for the hospital’s inclusion in his schedule, as he has done during visits to health facilities in other regions.

They emphasized that the Goaso Municipal Hospital urgently requires improved logistics and infrastructure to enhance the quality of healthcare services and called on the Ministry of Health to prioritize the facility in its resource allocation and planning.

During his visit to the Ahafo Region, Mr. Akandoh participated in a radio discussion, paid a courtesy call to the Goaso Traditional Council, held meetings with regional and district health directors, and attended a durbar to officially launch the Free Primary Healthcare Initiative and hand over medical equipment to selected health facilities.

The omission has sparked a conversation about the importance of visible leadership in healthcare governance and the need for ministers to engage directly with the facilities they oversee to ensure that policies and resources are effectively addressing local needs.

Health infrastructure in the Ahafo Region has been a subject of concern, with residents pointing to challenges such as inadequate staffing, insufficient medical supplies, and deteriorating facility conditions that hinder effective service delivery. The Goaso Municipal Hospital, serving as a key referral center, plays a vital role in the region’s healthcare network, making its operational efficiency crucial for patient outcomes.

The Free Primary Healthcare Initiative, which the Minister launched during his visit, aims to remove financial barriers to essential health services at the primary level. However, residents argue that without strengthening referral hospitals like the Goaso Municipal Hospital, the initiative’s impact may be limited, as patients requiring advanced care would still face obstacles in accessing timely and quality services.

Community leaders have urged the Ministry of Health to consider the hospital’s needs in its upcoming budget allocations and to involve local stakeholders in planning efforts to ensure that interventions are tailored to the specific realities on the ground.

The residents’ concerns reflect a broader sentiment across Ghana’s regions, where communities often seek direct engagement from government officials to better understand and address local challenges. Such visits are seen as opportunities for ministers to witness realities beyond reports and statistics, fostering accountability and informed decision-making.

In response to the criticism, the Ministry of Health has not yet issued a public statement regarding the Minister’s itinerary for the Ahafo Region visit. The agency typically emphasizes its commitment to improving healthcare access and quality nationwide through initiatives like the Free Primary Healthcare Program.