Weija-Gbawe Residents Cry For Opening Of Children’s Hospital

Residents of Weija-Gbawe in the Greater Accra Region are raising their voices in agreement, demanding the immediate opening of the long-awaited children’s hospital in their community which they say is fully completed for operational duty but their children have been left without proper medical services.

The completed Children’s Specialist Hospital, they say has remained unused for two years after construction was completed.

They are however calling on President John Mahama and the Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, to ensure the immediate opening of the facility.

During an intense protest yesterday, May 5, community members shared harrowing stories of having to travel long distances to obtain necessary healthcare for their sick children.

“I have entered the hospital before, when it was completed. It has everything in it. I think we should put NDC, NPP issue aside, it is about Weija-Gbawe. I want to plead with the health minister and the government to come and commission this project.

“We are losing our children because when you go to the old children’s place, the place is not safe for children. But this one is, and yet it is closed, why?” a frustrated resident by name Kwame Asante stated.

Comfort, another resident indicated, “Two months ago, my sister’s child collapsed, and we drove here only to realise that it is still closed. So we had to go all the way to Marina Hospital, which is very far from here. We cannot watch these instances keep happening. We want to plead with the government to open the facility to service the children. We have ambulances, and every facility that is needed; it only needs to be commissioned for use.”

In related development, the Member of Parliament for Weija-Gbawe, Jerry Ahmed Shaib, has urged appropriate authorities to ensure the immediate opening of the completed children’s hospital in the constituency.

Speaking in an interview on Asempa FM’s Ekosisen, he described the continued delay in operationalizing the facility as unacceptable, particularly at a time when access to quality healthcare remains a major challenge for residents in the area.

The MP noted that families in the constituency are often compelled to seek care at distant centres, a situation he says places both financial and emotional strain on parents and guardians.

He noted in frustration, “It’s a terrible situation, and we are calling on the President and the Minister of Health to ensure that the facility is opened. There is a mother’s hostel in there. All the machines, the CT scanner, and X-ray facilities are all working. In fact, the CT scanner is currently on because there is an air conditioner that is operating constantly to keep it functional. We do not understand why this facility is just lying there unused. We need to save lives and move away from politics”.

“I feel very sad about the situation. I have been here on numerous occasions. Parents travel long distance to cater for their wards. You can imagine how much money we are paying just to keep the lights on and maintain equipment like the CT scan. You can also imagine the lives we’ve lost. This is a facility that has a 120-bed capacity, with a mother’s hostel and three major theatres. Everything is ready. There is no reason for it not to be operational” he added.