AFRICA/GHANA – Bishop Gyamfi reaffirms the Church’s willingness to contribute to the healthcare sector, especially in rural areas

Accra – “Healthcare is undoubtedly a highly complex issue, and this is precisely why the Catholic Church has chosen to establish healthcare facilities in rural areas,” said Bishop Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi of Sunyani, President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, speaking to journalists after his meeting yesterday, August 6, with Ghana’s Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh.
During the talks, Bishop Gyamfi highlighted the challenges faced by Catholic healthcare facilities, particularly those serving rural communities. “Building infrastructure in rural areas is always extremely difficult,” the Bishop said. “First of all, there is often no electricity and even access to clean water is lacking. Once the facilities have finally been built, it becomes difficult to persuade healthcare professionals to relocate and work in these remote areas,” he added.
A key focus of the meeting between the President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference and the Health Minister was the implementation of Agenda 111, Ghana’s flagship healthcare infrastructure program. Launched under former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the initiative aims to expand access to quality healthcare, particularly in underserved districts, following the gaps that emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The program envisions the opening of 101 district hospitals, 6 regional hospitals in newly created regions, a regional hospital in the Western Region , 2 psychiatric hospitals , and the renovation of the Accra Psychiatric Hospital. However, the construction of these facilities has largely remained on paper.
Monsignor Gyamfi expressed the Church’s willingness to take on some of these projects and complete them in collaboration with the Government and, potentially, with private entities, although he clarified that no final decisions have yet been made.
The Government has decided to prioritize the completion of 35 selected projects, chosen based on their progress, the healthcare needs of the communities, and equitable regional distribution. To this end, potential collaborations with the Christian Health Association of Ghana and other religious groups have been considered to contribute to the management or operation of some of these facilities.

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