President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is proud of his administration’s achievements in the health sector, calling them “unprecedented.” He’s particularly excited about the progress made in reducing maternal, adolescent, and child mortality rates, which he sees as a key indicator of success in healthcare delivery.

At the commissioning of the new Urology and Nephrology Centre of Excellence at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Akufo-Addo highlighted some impressive numbers. Since 2017, his administration has added 8,665 hospital beds, bringing the total to 32,818 – a 36% increase. This doesn’t even include the beds that will be added through the ambitious Agenda 111 project, which aims to transform Ghana’s healthcare infrastructure.

Some notable achievements in healthcare include:

– Reducing Maternal Mortality: The Institutional Maternal Mortality Ratio (IMMR) has dropped from 127.3 deaths per 100 live births in 2018 to 102.1 per 100 live births in recent years.
– Lowering Child Mortality: Neonatal, infant, and under-5 mortality rates have all decreased.
– Expanding Healthcare Infrastructure: The Agenda 111 project will add even more hospital beds and facilities.

Akufo-Addo acknowledges that despite these gains, challenges remain, particularly in ensuring equal access to healthcare for children across the country. However, he’s committed to continuing the progress made towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, specifically reducing maternal mortality to 70% per 100,000 live births and under-5 mortality to 12 per 1,000 live births by 2030.