Alban Bagbin (L) slammed Dr Ayensu-Danquah for her comments on the ‘no-bed syndrome’
The February 24, 2026 sitting of Ghana’s Parliament saw Speaker Alban Bagbin express displeasure with Deputy Health Minister Dr Grace Ayensu-Danquah during deliberations on the case of 29-year-old engineer Charles Amissah, who was allegedly denied medical care by three hospitals following a hit-and-run accident.
The House discussed the “no-bed syndrome” situation in the health sector, with lawmakers making submissions on the incident and proposing measures to prevent similar occurrences.
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When given the floor, Dr Ayensu-Danquah sought to attribute the situation to the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration, stating that after eight years in office, none of the Agenda 111 hospitals had become operational.
She further noted that the current administration inherited multiple projects at varying stages of completion across the country.
“I’m not engendering debates; I’m just trying to explain the circumstances. Mr Speaker, Agenda 111, at the end of eight years, there was not one single hospital that was operational.
“Mr Speaker, in fact, what we came to meet were multiple hospitals littered around the country, some of them at foundation level. There was not one hospital that a human being could walk into,” she submitted.
According to her, large sums of public funds had been spent on the projects, adding that the Auditor-General had surcharged 35 contractors to the tune of GH¢7.9 million.
“However, they had spent millions and billions of Ghana cedis, to the extent that the Auditor-General surcharged 35 contractors GH¢7.9 million,” she added.
However, the Speaker interrupted her submission, directing her to focus on the immediate issue under consideration.
Bagbin stated that the matter before the House concerned the absence of available hospital beds, stressing that discussions should remain centered on the circumstances that led to the incident.
Referencing his tenure as a former Deputy Minister of Health, the Speaker said he was well aware of the challenges within the health system, including the persistent “no bed syndrome.”
“Honourable Deputy Minister, please focus on the major issue. I was a Minister for Health. I know what I’m talking about. Please focus on the issue. The reason was that there was no bed, that is what we’ve been told, so focus on that,” Bagbin cautioned.
He acknowledged the establishment of a committee to investigate the situation and urged that the matter be examined thoroughly.
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“You’ve done well by establishing a committee to investigate the issue, so let’s look at it seriously,” he added.
“I was a Minister for Health, I know what I’m talking about. Please focus on the major issue!” – Speaker, Alban Bagbin was not pleased with the Deputy Health Minister, Dr. Grace Ayensu-Danquah, who criticised the previous government’s failure to complete the Agenda 111 hospitals… pic.twitter.com/qVUZL3E8B7
— CITI FM 97.3 (@Citi973) February 25, 2026
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Source:
www.ghanaweb.com