The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has set significant plans for the enhancement of Ghana’s tourism sector, particularly by integrating health tourism to create employment opportunities and increase foreign exchange earnings. The NDC’s 2024 Presidential Candidate, Mr. John Dramani Mahama, shared these plans in the party’s election manifesto, which emphasizes “Resetting Ghana: Jobs, Accountability, and Prosperity.” This initiative reflects a commitment to develop partnerships across various sectors, improve health infrastructure, and enhance service delivery to attract international clients to Ghana’s healthcare facilities. The vision extends to equipping and retooling health facilities to meet global standards, thus making Ghana a competitive destination for health tourists in the West African subregion.
Mr. Mahama envisions rebranding health professionals and facilities to promote Ghana as a viable destination for medical tourism. Key components of this strategy include training healthcare professionals in specialized fields such as oncology, orthopedics, and plastic surgery, which are expected to enhance the quality of care offered. Furthermore, the plan involves motivating investors to establish competitive hospitality services adjacent to medical facilities. This expansion will be particularly focused on transforming the Volta Region into a notable medical tourism hub by improving health infrastructure and ensuring connection with auxiliary services, such as those provided by the Ho Airport, for efficient patient transport.
In his proposals for expanding healthcare delivery, Mr. Mahama emphasized the urgency of completing stalled healthcare projects and upgrading specialized hospitals to improve service delivery. Some initiatives include the revitalization of the Police Hospital in Accra, expansion of Korle Bu Teaching Hospital into a high-standard quaternary facility, and enhancements at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital to transition it into a Teaching Hospital. Additionally, there are plans to build a new Specialist Hospital in the Oti Region to enhance emergency response capabilities and upgrades to various regional hospitals to facilitate the training of medical personnel.
Plans for expanding education in the health sector are also prominent in Mr. Mahama’s agenda. He proposes the establishment of a new medical school in the Bono Region and operationalizing the Sunyani Regional Hospital as a teaching site. His vision extends to creating a Post-Graduate College for Biomedical Sciences in Western Ghana and constructing a state-of-the-art children’s hospital and fertility centre in Accra. These educational advancements, combined with infrastructure upgrades, aim to create a robust supply of skilled health professionals that can further enhance healthcare delivery in Ghana.
To bolster local production of medical equipment and address health emergency responses, the NDC intends to implement various incentives and establish Central Bed and Emergencies Management Bureaus throughout Ghana. This initiative is crucial for overcoming challenges such as the notorious ‘no-bed syndrome’ in hospitals. Proposed legislation will promote an organized and ethical approach to biomedical transplantation, ensuring rights and affordability for patients. Additionally, a central health information management system is planned to enhance data sharing across healthcare institutions, thereby facilitating timely patient care and referrals.
Mr. Mahama also highlighted the potential benefits of telehealth initiatives aimed at increasing access to healthcare services across Ghana. His government proposes to scale up existing telemedicine and tele-education projects, ensuring all regions have access to health advisory consultations. These broad-ranging strategies are designed to connect patients efficiently with healthcare services, thereby improving overall health outcomes. Mr. Mahama is rallying voters to support the NDC in the upcoming elections, advocating for a collective effort to realize these ambitious plans for Ghana’s future.
