President Akufo-Addo’s aide-de-camp recovers after collapsing during State of the Nation Address
Colonel Isaac Amponsah, the Aide-de-Camp (ADC) to President Akufo-Addo, has fully recovered after collapsing during the President’s final State of the Nation Address in Parliament on Friday.
President Akufo-Addo during the incident
Col. Amponsah collapsed midway through the address but received immediate medical attention on-site before being transported to the 37 Military Hospital for further evaluation.
A source at the Jubilee House has confirmed that he has been discharged and is resting at home.
Although the exact cause of the collapse has not been officially confirmed, medical professionals have suggested it was likely due to stress and prolonged standing.
Col. Amponsah has served as President Akufo-Addo’s ADC since the promotion of his predecessor, Bismark Onwona, to Major General.
Before assuming this role, he worked as an instructor at the Military Training Academy and with the Defence Intelligence Unit of the Ghana Armed Source:citinewsroom.com
The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has successfully released GH¢270 million to healthcare providers across the country to cover claims that were submitted and vetted up to October 2024, as well as part of November 2024.
In a statement issued on January 3, 2025, Dr. Da-Costa Aboagye, the Chief Executive Officer of NHIA, confirmed that these payments fall within the agreed three-month reimbursement period and assured that there are no outstanding vetted claims.
“This latest payment brings the total amount released by the NHIA over the past four months to over GH¢1.2 billion, reinforcing the Authority’s ongoing commitment to supporting healthcare providers and ensuring the sustainability of the NHIS,” Dr. Aboagye stated.
He also urged healthcare facilities under the NHIA to submit their claims on time, stressing that claims should not cover periods exceeding 90 days.
This payment follows a series of significant disbursements made by the NHIA in recent months. On December 1, 2024, the NHIA released GH¢200 million to cover claims for September and part of October 2024. Earlier, on October 9, 2024, over GH¢335 million was disbursed for claims related to August 2024. Additionally, in September 2024, the NHIA allocated GH¢402 million to health facilities to cover claims for June and July 2024.
These payments demonstrate the NHIA’s continued efforts to meet its financial obligations to healthcare providers, contributing to the stability and improvement of Ghana’s healthcare Source:Dailymailgh.com
The Public Utilities Regulation Authority(PURC) has on Monday,16th December,2024 directed Ghana Water Company Limited to restore water supply to customers in greater Kumasi area.
The statement signed by Ishmael Ackah PhD, Executive director entitled “PUBLIC Utilities Regulation Authority directs Ghana Water Company Limited to restore water supply to customers in the greater Kumasi area”,is reproduced below;
“The Public Utilities Regulation Authority (PURC),has taken notice of reports of curtailment of water supply by Ghana Water Company Limited (GWL) staff to the greater Kumasi
area(Bantama,Atonsuagya,Santasi,Ridge) and surrounding areas since Friday,13,2024.The situation is unacceptable and undermines the fundamental rights access to clean and safe water for all citizens.
The Commission has directed GWL to restore water supply to all affected customers in the greater Kumasi area and surrounding areas with immediate effect.The Public utility disconnection procedures, interruption in service and denial of service are governed by Regulations 2,3(d) & (e) and 4 of the Public Utilities Regulation Commission(Consumers service) Regulations 2020 (L I 2413). Specifically, Regulation 4 provides;
“Subject to these regulations,a public utilities shall not deny the right of access of a consumer to a service except for stated reasons which are subject to review in accordance with the guidelines of the Commission”.
A utility Provider is obliged by law to use appropriate channels to address any challenges without publishing consumers the denial of water supply not only affected the daily lives of residents but also poses significant public health risks GWL shall submit a detailed report on the reasons for the service interruption and measures being taken to prevent such occurrences in the future.
The Commission has also directs GWL to engage with the affected communities and to provide alternative supply as needed.
The Commission will monitor the situation closely and take further action if necessary to protect the interest of consumers “.
President-elect John Mahama has reiterated his commitment to maintaining the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) policy.
He stressed that the social intervention pprogramme is here to stay.
In an interview with Voice of America (VOA), Mahama dismissed claims that his administration intended to scrap the program as baseless political propaganda.
“Free SHS has come to stay, and it is not going anywhere,” Mahama said.
“Nobody is going to scrap Free SHS. What was said was political talk and gimmickry. We are going to maintain it. What we are going to do is get dedicated funding for it.”
The statement comes on the back of accusations from New Patriotic Party (NPP) during the election campaign, alleging that Mr Mahama’s government would abolish the flagship policy.
Mr Mahama refuted these claims, attributing them to political propaganda aimed at misleading the public.
Mahama further explained that his administration would work to improve the program’s implementation by securing a sustainable funding mechanism.
This, he said, would ensure the program’s long-term success and its ability to deliver quality education to Ghanaian students.
The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has released GH₵200 million as claims payment to health facilities nationwide while rolling out the
free dialysis treatment programme, effective December 1, 2024.
The NHIA’s prompt payments regime, introduced earlier this year, has been instrumental in maintaining a debt-free status for 2024, ensuring timely reimbursement to
healthcare providers across the country.
This latest payment brings the total amount released by the NHIA over the last two months to GH¢1 billion, underscoring the Authority’s ongoing commitment to
supporting healthcare providers and ensuring the sustainability of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
Dr.Da-Coasta Aboagye,NHIA CEO
Dr. DaCosta Aboagye, Chief Executive Officer of the NHIA, conrmed the disbursement in an interview with the Ghana News Agency to cover claims submitted and vetted
for the months of September and October 2024
He assured Ghanaians that the NHIA had no outstanding claims to settle, emphasizing the Authority’s readiness to ensure the successful implementation of the free
dialysis programme.
“We don’t have any outstanding claims to pay. Normally, our payments range between GH₵150 million and GH₵200 million. I have told the facilities to bring their claims
because we have the money to pay them. NHIS is at its best and back on its feet,” Dr DaCosta Aboagye said.
Dr. Aboagye highlighted the scheme’s financial growth, noting that its budget had increased by GH₵2 million annually since 2017.
He disclosed that the NHIA 2024 budget stood at GH₵6.8 billion, with half allocated for claims.
“As we speak, the claims budget is still underutilized. We have paid over GH₵2 billion in claims this year and still have funds available. We are literally begging facilities to
bring their claims,” he reiterated.
Accredited Facilities for Free Dialysis
To facilitate the programme, the NHIA has accredited several hospitals across the country to provide free dialysis treatment to kidney patients registered under the
National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
These include: Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Cape Coast Teaching Hospital, Tamale Teaching Hospital, Ho Teaching Hospital and 37
Military Hospital.
Others are Ridge Regional Hospital, Holy Family Hospital, Berekum, Ea Nkwanta Regional Hospital, Takoradi, Ghana Police Hospital, International Maritime Hospital,
Newtown Islamic Hospital Ltd, Eastern Regional Hospital and FirstCare Hospital.
The rest are Trust Hospital Premium Centre, Regional Hospital, Bolgatanga, Upper West Regional Hospital, Volta Regional Hospital, Hohoe , Takoradi Hospital and Hart
Adventist Hospital.
This initiative, championed by Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, was built on a successful pilot programme that provided free dialysis for patients under 18 and
those over 60 years old. The expanded policy now set to cover 1,200 Ghanaian kidney patients under the NHIS.
The free dialysis programme has been estimated to cost GH¢57 million annually. Each eligible patient would receive eight dialysis sessions per month at any private or
public NHIA credentialed facility, at a cost of GH¢491 per session.
Call for National Support
Dr. Aboagye urged Ghanaians to support the programme, emphasizing the need to depoliticize the initiative.
“Kidney disease does not know any party colour. Let us work together to make this policy effective for the benefit of all who need dialysis treatment,” he said.
The NHIA’s commitment to healthcare transformation underscores Ghana’s dedication to ensuring equitable access to critical medical services for all citizens.
GNA
The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has on Monday, 25 November 2024, commissioned four(4) of the five(5), 40-bed District Hospitals in the Ashanti region.
The four District Hospitals in the Ashanti region are located at, Drobonso in the Sekyere Afram Plains District; Sabronum, in the Ahafo Ano South East District; Twedie, in the Atwima Kwanwoma District and Suame, in the Suame Municipal area. The district hospital at Manso Nkwanta, in the Amansie West District, is also complete but yet to be commissioned.
It will be recalled that in 2020, the Health Minister Kwaku Agyeman Manu, broke the ground for work to commence on the construction of twelve 40-bed Hospitals in Ashanti, Eastern, Greater Accra regions and one Polyclinic at Mim, in the Brong Ahafo region.
Constructed by VAMED Engineering GmbH of Austria, the other areas where these hospitals have been built across the country include Jumapo, Kwabeng, Nkwatia, Achiase, Adukrom, Mim and Kpone Katamanso.
A €71,500,000 Euro facility was secured from Erste Group Bank AG and Česká Spořitelna a.s towards the construction and equipping of these 40-bed hospitals, which also includes 12-units of 2-bedroom semi-detached accommodation for hospital workers at each of the facilities.
Aside the residential accomodation for the staff of the hospitals, the hospitals are equipped with an Out-Patient Department with the requisite consulting rooms, Public Health Department with 36-seater capacity waiting room, three ante-natal consulting rooms, a counselling room and two offices for Public Health Officers.
President Akufo-Addo
It also includes a theatre consisting of one Surgical Suite, 8-bed Paediatric Ward, 8-bed Male Ward, 8-bed Female Ward, four Labour Delivery stations, 8-bed Maternity Ward, 4-bed Lying-in and 2-bed Recovery room.
President Akufo-Addo unveiling the plaque
President Akufo-Addo urged the staff and the people of the areas to ensure that the facilities are adequately administered and maintained to ensure that governments commitment to improving the health status of all residents in the country through improving health care infrastructure is realised.
Flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) John Dramani Mahama has assured trainee nurses that his next administration will complete abandoned hospitals and the Agenda 111 project to create employment opportunities for them.
Speaking to trainee nurses on Saturday, Mr Mahama emphasised his commitment to improving healthcare infrastructure and addressing the challenges faced by healthcare professionals in Ghana.
Mahama highlighted the importance of completing these projects to ensure that healthcare facilities are available and accessible to all Ghanaians.
John Dramani Mahama
He noted that the completion of these hospitals would not only enhance healthcare delivery but also provide much-needed job opportunities for trainee nurses and other healthcare workers.
“We know the problems with trainee nurses and that is why when we were in government, we said we were going to substitute your allowance with the students’ loan and that is because we wanted to create more employment for you. What is important for you is not the allowance it is to get a job when you finish school.
“But somebody came and said he will pay the allowances. Unfortunately, it was 419…Come and pay the nurses you owe them almost 30 months of arrears. Some of them have left school without receiving their allowances and some of them are going to leave school again without receiving their allowances but one thing I can assure you is that it is about jobs and NDC is committed to jobs so we are going to create the situation where we can employ as many of you as possible.”
“…I make you a commitment when I come the hospitals we were building that have been abandoned by this government we will continue them. When I come, the agenda 111 hospitals, they are building I will continue and finish them so that we can create more space to be able to absorb all of you when you finish school. This election is between Ghana and NPP,” he stated.
The flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC),John Dramani Mahama, has expressed scepticism over the feasibility of the government’s Agenda 111 project, describing it as overly ambitious.
Mahama expressed his doubts during a discussion with clergy members in Accra, emphasizing that the government’s plan appears unrealistic and unlikely to be completed within a reasonable timeframe.
According to Mahama, while the government initiated the Agenda 111 project which includes the construction of 80 hospitals, the strategy lacks practicality.
He suggested that a more sensible approach would have been to commence with a smaller number, such as 40, ensuring their completion before embarking on additional projects.
“This government started their Agenda 111 as they call it and they started with 80 hospitals. I don’t know what survey was done before the hospitals were being put in, but most of them are at a certain stage of completion. One would have thought that they would start with what they can do and finish.
“And so if you can do 40 hospitals, finish and open them, then you start another. But you spread to 80 hospitals, the time they leave office, I don’t think many of them would have been completed.”
The Agenda 111 project is part of the New Patriotic Party’s government health policy of building a hospital in each district and region of Ghana in fulfilment of President Akufo-Addo’s promise to build 111 hospitals nationwide to improve the geographical coverage of healthcare in the country.
In modern Ghana, some people still build houses without toilets, which is unacceptable.
Sanitation ministry, please enforce the law and make sure all houses have toilets. Public toilets are for strangers, not locals.
On World Toilet Day, let’s create space for toilets in our homes and stop using the bush, riverbanks, and uncompleted buildings as toilets. Happy World Toilet Day. Amen. Coka, I care.
