Military officers in Ghana are not seeking medical treatment at the 37 Military Hospital, a facility originally built for soldiers, because it lacks the basic equipment and necessary drugs to treat patients, Major Derek Oduro (rtd), Member of Parliament for Nkoranza North and Ranking Member on the Committee of Defence and Interior, has revealed.

According to him, the lack of these basic equipment and drugs at the hospital demonstrate the ineptitude and propaganda on the part of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Speaking in an interview with Chief Jerry Forson, host of Ghana Yensom on Accra100.5FM, on Wednesday, October 26, in connection with the ongoing construction of the Kumasi Military Hospital, the MP noted that such a project, though good for the country, was not a priority.

He suggested that in the interim, the 37 Military Hospital in Accra should be equipped with all the tools needed to work with and also be provided with the drugs.

He said: “There is too much propaganda with this government. They (NDC) are good at using propaganda to win elections but not good at governance. Government approved the budget for this Kumasi Military [Hospital] project, which started in 2009 but they have done propaganda in all these years and that has delayed the project.”

He added: “These kinds of projects are good for the country. If we could provide such hospitals in every region, it would be good but the propaganda attached to these projects by the government is what is worrying. At the moment, as we speak, the 37 Military Hospital is under-resourced. They lack the basic equipment to work with. They don’t have the needed drugs to supply to patients and so most military officers are abandoning the hospital to seek treatment elsewhere.”

Meanwhile, the District Chief Executive of Atwima Nwabiagya, Nana Asare Bediako, told Chief Jerry Forson that the Kumasi Military Hospital will reduce the burden on other hospitals in the region.

He revealed that the 500-bed hospital was nearing completion.

He stated on the show that: “The military hospital in Kumasi will reduce the burden on the 37 [Military] Hospital and so President Mahama should rather be commended for building the hospital in Kumasi.”