The Minority in Parliament has called on the Ministry of Health (MoH) to immediately operationalise the 120-bed Weija Paediatric Hospital to provide specialised healthcare services for children.
According to the Minority, the contractor followed all the required procurement processes and fully equipped the hospital for operation.
“If the procurement processes were approved by the Public Procurement Authority which the World Bank, the sponsors of the $10.15 million project, also knew about, so, this flimsy excuse of over-priced or mis-procurement should not be used now as it is totally needless,” the Ranking Member on Parliament’s Health Committee, Dr. Nana Ayew Afriyie, said at a press briefing in Parliament on the delayed opening of the hospital.
Dr. Afriyie argued that the Ministry of Health should have conducted proper checks before raising concerns about overpricing and procurement breaches.
“It is no news to bring to overpricing to the public. If you have been set up, then the World Bank has set you up. Now, they have issued a statement ahead of you (MoH) that open the hospital and nobody is talking about the mis-procurement now,” he said.
He stressed that the Minority believes there is no justification for further delays in opening the facility, especially at a time when many unemployed health professionals are seeking opportunities to work.
Dr. Afriyie also rejected claims that the previous government engaged in procurement breaches that delayed the project.
According to him, the hospital was initially designed as a 40-bed facility but was later upgraded to a 120-bed hospital, with additional equipment added to improve healthcare delivery.
He explained that the project was initiated by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government using post-COVID funding support from the World Bank as part of efforts to leave a lasting healthcare legacy after the pandemic.
Dr. Afriyie said the World Bank was fully aware of every stage of the project, including the expansion of the facility and procurement of equipment.
He added that due to challenges in securing adequate medical equipment, stakeholders approved the phased procurement of items needed to fully equip the hospital.
According to him, all equipment purchases, including a CT scan machine, went through the approved procurement procedures with the knowledge of both the Public Procurement Authority (PPA) and the World Bank.
“So, if you attack procurement, which has gone through the Public Procurement Authority (PPA) approval, and the Ministry of Health has a contract with a contractor, and you have issues with procurement, then you are more or less attacking the PPA of this country.
“It has gotten nothing to do with the contractor,” he said.
He further accused the Ministry of Health of failing to provide evidence to support claims that some equipment was overpriced.
“The $3.8 million includes the CT scan, and you say it is overpriced. Overpriced is not supposed to be verbal and so bring evidence to back it and in worst case scenario, the government would have to take care of it,” he said.
