The President of the Czech Republic, Petr Pavel, assisted by Ghana’s Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has inaugurated a new 40-bed district hospital at Kpone in the Greater Accra Region.
The Czech-funded facility is expected to significantly enhance healthcare delivery for residents of the Kpone Municipality.
The commissioning ceremony, held on Wednesday, 9 April 2025, brought together several dignitaries including Nii Tetteh Otu II, Paramount Chief of the Kpone Traditional Area; Nii Tetteh Oglie II, Chief of Nmlitsakpo; Tatse Nii Laryea Akuetteh X, Chief of Katamanso; Joseph Akuerteh Tetteh, Member of Parliament for Kpone-Katamanso; as well as officials from the Ministry of Health, the Ghana Health Service, and the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council.
The project was made possible through funding totalling €71.5 million, secured from Erste Group Bank AG and Česká Spořitelna a.s., with an export credit guarantee of €8.6 million provided by EGAP, the Export Guarantee and Insurance Corporation of the Czech Republic. Constructed by VAMED Health Projects CZ s.r.o, the Kpone District Hospital forms part of a broader initiative launched in 2020 by the Ministry of Health to construct 12 new health facilities.
These include hospitals in Jumapo, Nkwatia, Kwabeng, Achiase, and Adukrom in the Eastern Region; Suame, Drobonso, Sabronum, Manso Nkwanta, and Twedie in the Ashanti Region; and Mim in the Ahafo Region.
According to the Ministry of Health, five hospitals in the Eastern Region have already been handed over, while completed facilities in the Ashanti and Ahafo Regions are also expected to be operationalised soon.
The newly commissioned Kpone Municipal Hospital is a modern, well-equipped healthcare facility comprising an Outpatient Department with a Public Health Wing, a Surgical Suite with an operating theatre, recovery ward, and sterilisation unit, a Delivery Unit and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Laboratory, Pharmacy, and X-ray units, 40-bed inpatient wards for male, female, and paediatric cases, a Services Block with laundry, stores, and a cold room, staff offices, and on-site accommodation.
The facility also includes the supply and installation of modern medical equipment, a one-year post-completion maintenance plan, and staff training to enhance service delivery.
President Petr Pavel, in his remarks, expressed joy at the inauguration, describing the hospital as a vital contribution to humanity. “I could not imagine anything more universally good than opening a hospital that would serve people in need,” he said. He urged the staff to “work hard and offer every person the best of care.”
Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, highlighted the project as a continuation of efforts initiated during former President John Mahama’s administration to increase access to quality healthcare.
“The Kpone Municipal Hospital is one of 12 hospitals constructed and equipped under the previous government and a continuation of President Mahama’s first-term initiative of increasing access to quality healthcare,” he stated.
He criticised the politicisation of health infrastructure, saying, “Our vision is to operationalise all commissioned hospitals to allow all communities to enjoy equitable access to quality healthcare.”
The Minister also introduced the government’s Free Primary Healthcare Initiative, aimed at removing financial barriers to care.
“These investments demonstrate our Government’s commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and advancing Universal Health Coverage,” he said.
Mr Akandoh noted significant progress in health indicators, revealing that maternal mortality had decreased from 580 per 100,000 live births in 2007 to 310 per 100,000 in 2017. Likewise, under-five mortality improved from 111 per 1,000 live births in 2003 to 56 per 1,000 in 2017.
“Yet, we recognise that much remains to be done. This Government remains steadfast in its efforts to expand access, improve quality, and reduce inequities in health service delivery,” he added.
He also called on staff and local leaders to ensure proper maintenance and effective use of the facility.
Professor Samuel Kaba Akoriyea, Acting Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, said the facility would help save lives in emergencies and act as a disaster response centre.
He said it would also serve as a source of employment for both skilled and unskilled workers, while stimulating economic activity in surrounding communities.
The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Linda Obenewaa Akweley Ocloo, described the hospital as a vital addition to the region’s health infrastructure.
“The inauguration of this facility marks a significant milestone not only for the people of Kpone but for the entire region, as it enhances access to quality healthcare delivery,” she said.