The Minister-designate for Health, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, has revealed that a promise by President Nana Akufo-Addo to construct over 88 new hospitals between April and December last year was a just a vision.

Answering questions during his vetting by Parliament’s Appointments Committee, Mr Agyeman-Manu said the president’s vision should have translated into action but unfortunately work on the construction of the hospitals have slowed due to some bottlenecks.

“What the president said was his vision and that should have translated to actual work. Indeed some work was done, a committee was set up at the presidency chaired by the Chief of Staff and I was a member…we wrote to district assemblies for land and site plans but as we speak 13 of those assemblies are yet to complete their work…and that is why we are where we are,” Mr Agyeman-Manu told the appointments committee.

President Akufo-Addo in April last year promised to build more than 90 new hospitals as the coronavirus highlighted the country’s medical inequalities. Many questioned his ability to deliver on the pledge.

Speaking in a televised address, Mr Akufo-Addo said the new medical facilities are planned for 88 districts in Ghana that are currently without a hospital, as well as an additional six regional hospitals.

“Each of them will be a quality, standard design 100-bed hospital with accommodation for doctors, nurses, and other health workers,” President Akufo-Addo said.