Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh has ordered the immediate deployment of 10 doctors and 30 nurses and midwives to the Weija-Gbawe Children’s Specialist Hospital to strengthen staffing and support the expansion of services.
The directive followed an unannounced visit by the Minister to the facility, where he assessed its operations and identified staffing as a key requirement for the hospital to fully deliver on its mandate.
The hospital, which has a capacity of about 120 beds, began operations on August 17, 2026, but is yet to fully roll out inpatient services.
The Acting Medical Superintendent, Dr Nana Okine Brago, told the Minister that preparations were underway to commence inpatient care as additional health personnel were deployed.
Mr Akandoh said the government was committed to ensuring that health facilities were adequately resourced and utilised to improve access to quality healthcare.
He, however, cautioned health professionals against allowing technology to undermine the human side of healthcare.
According to him, the growing use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in healthcare could help reduce the workload of medical professionals but could never replace compassion and human connection.
“AI has come to ease the work we do, but AI will never have compassion for human beings. That is our strength. If we lose that, there will not be any difference between us and AI,” he said.
The Minister urged doctors, nurses and other health professionals at the facility to treat patients with dignity, respect and compassion.
He also directed management to ensure that the hospital and its equipment were properly maintained to protect the government’s investment in the facility.
Mr Akandoh welcomed the hospital’s accreditation under the National Health Insurance Scheme and assured management of the Ministry’s support to resolve outstanding challenges.
The visit formed part of the Ministry’s efforts to assess health facilities, identify operational challenges and ensure that public health infrastructure is fully utilised.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
