Former Deputy Minister of Health, Alexander Kodwo Kom Abban, has expressed support for efforts to involve the private sector in completing and managing unfinished Agenda 111 hospital projects but cautioned that the process must be guided by proper financial scrutiny and transparency.
Speaking in an interview on Joy FM’s News Night on Tuesday, April 14, he noted that significant public funds have already been invested in the projects and stressed the importance of ensuring their completion for improved healthcare delivery.
Mr. Abban was responding to discussions around the government’s consideration of Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangements, under which private entities could complete, equip, and potentially operate the facilities.
He referenced proposals outlined by the Health Minister, which include different models such as partnerships with mission hospitals like the Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG), full private participation, or mixed arrangements, depending on funding capacity. According to him, while PPP arrangements are acceptable, safeguards must be put in place to prevent misuse of public funds.
“I have no problem if we are doing PPP…What we should guard against is a situation where we may find ourselves giving public money to private persons. There will be a need for proper financial analysis to determine how much the taxpayer has already spent,” he cautioned.
He further stressed that any agreement must be properly structured to ensure value for money and sustainability.
“If we can go through this route and get all these hospitals working, I’m sure the collateral effect will be better health for all of us and employment for nurses who are currently at home,” he added.
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Source: www.myjoyonline.com
