Ghana’s Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has sent a strong message of accountability and performance as he swore in the newly constituted boards of several major health institutions, signaling a shift toward a results-driven era in the nation’s healthcare management.
The inauguration, which covered leadership for the Korle Bu, Komfo Anokye, Tamale, Cape Coast, and Sunyani Teaching Hospitals, as well as the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) and the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons, was marked by a firm declaration that board positions will no longer be treated as ceremonial appointments.
“This is not about prestige or titles—it’s about delivering results,” Mr. Akandoh stated emphatically. “We are moving from rhetoric to responsibility.”
Each board member will now be held to measurable standards under a new performance contract regime. These contracts will include key performance indicators, with progress reports expected directly at the Minister’s desk at regular intervals.
In a decisive policy directive, Mr. Akandoh also instructed all teaching hospitals to establish two separate accounts: one for infrastructure maintenance and another strictly for the upkeep of critical medical equipment—emphasizing that preventive maintenance must become standard practice.
“The excuse of broken equipment and poorly maintained infrastructure is no longer acceptable,” he asserted.
He also used the occasion to spotlight growing national concerns. Addressing the FDA, the Minister urged immediate action to counter the rise in opioid misuse, warning that “the situation must be contained before it overwhelms our healthcare system.”
Highlighting broader healthcare reforms, Mr. Akandoh urged the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons to expand its scope by increasing training opportunities in underserved areas like oncology, dialysis, and transplant medicine. This, he said, would support the Mahama Cares Initiative’s mission to remove financial barriers to care for non-communicable diseases.
Closing his remarks, the Health Minister called on all board members to treat their roles as a solemn duty.
“You are not here to enjoy perks but to serve the people. Your legacy will be measured not by the offices you hold but by the lives you help improve,” he concluded.
