Mahama Calls for Stronger Maintenance Culture in Health Sector
President says poor maintenance undermined a US$250 million hospital retooling programme and announces a new system to protect future investments.
- Mahama cites poor equipment maintenance.
- US$250m investment affected.
- New agency to oversee medical equipment.
President John Dramani Mahama has called for improved maintenance of medical infrastructure and equipment, warning that Ghana risks wasting significant investments in the health sector without effective asset management systems.
Speaking at the commissioning of a new catheterisation laboratory (Cath Lab) at the National Cardiothoracic Centre of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, President Mahama said past experiences demonstrate the importance of maintaining medical equipment to ensure long-term value.
He recalled that during the administration of the late President John Evans Atta Mills, when he served as Vice President, the government invested approximately US$250 million to retool regional and teaching hospitals across the country with CT scanners, MRI machines, X-ray equipment, and other essential diagnostic tools.
According to the President, many of those machines later became non-functional because they were not adequately maintained, resulting in hospitals requesting another round of government-funded replacements.
He described the situation as unsustainable and stressed the need for a preventive maintenance culture to protect public investments and ensure the continuous delivery of quality healthcare services.
To address the challenge, President Mahama announced that Cabinet has approved the establishment of Ghana Medical Equipment Services Limited, a subsidiary of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, to oversee the maintenance and management of medical equipment nationwide.
He explained that the new entity will be staffed by specialised biomedical engineers who will supervise the use, servicing, and maintenance of medical equipment, as well as coordinate the replacement of equipment that is beyond repair.
President Mahama expressed confidence that the new model would ensure better stewardship of public resources and prevent the recurrence of past maintenance challenges.
He added that the commissioning of the new Cath Lab reflects the government’s commitment to strengthening specialised healthcare, improving the treatment of non-communicable diseases, and reducing the need for Ghanaians to seek advanced medical care abroad.
