By Lawrence Odoom
President John Dramani Mahama has issued a decisive directive for contractors to return to site and recommence construction on the long-stalled New Eastern Regional Hospital project, signaling renewed governmental resolve to fortify healthcare infrastructure.
The announcement was made on Thursday, June 11, by Eastern Regional Minister Rita Akosua Adjei Awatey during her keynote address at the official launch of the Eastern Regional Hospital’s Centenary Celebration in Koforidua.
She described the President’s intervention as a clear manifestation of government’s commitment to expanding access to quality healthcare for residents of the Eastern Region.
“His Excellency has given directives for the tractor to return to the site and resume work on our hospital. The centenary celebration, therefore, provides an opportunity not only to celebrate past accomplishments but also to reaffirm our resolve to build a stronger and more robust healthcare system for our nation,” she declared.
Reacting to the development, Medical Superintendent of the Eastern Regional Hospital, Dr. Aiden Suntaa Saanwie, stated that management is proactively strengthening human resource capacity to align with projected demand, particularly in anticipation of the facility’s upgrade to a teaching hospital upon completion.
“That is going to be my priority going forward, to make sure that people who are interested in various areas are pushed to go and specialize in these areas, so that by the time the facility is ready, we will have the man power to man it,” he affirmed.
The directive injects fresh momentum into a project long regarded as critical to decongesting healthcare delivery and elevating specialist care in the region.