President-elect John Mahama has announced plans to restore the management of the University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) to the University of Ghana upon assuming office.

The move seeks to align the hospital’s operations with its original vision, as conceived by the late President John Evans Atta Mills.

During a meeting with the management team of the University of Ghana, Mahama expressed concern over the current state of the facility under the Ghana Health Service (GHS), noting that it is operating at just 40% capacity. He stressed the importance of returning to the initial plan to ensure the hospital fulfills its intended purpose.

“The issue of the University of Ghana Medical Centre was part of Prof Mills’ vision. It was built with the intent that the University of Ghana would set up a management subsidiary to run that hospital. Unfortunately, we left office, and a new government handed it over to the Ghana Health Service, which already has many hospitals under its wings that it cannot manage properly,” Mahama explained.

He underscored the need to scale up the hospital’s operations to full capacity to provide critical healthcare services locally, reducing the need for Ghanaians to seek medical treatment abroad.

"I am anxious to come back to the original vision where the University of Ghana would manage that hospital. Currently, only 40% of the hospital is operational. We must scale up to 100% so that our people do not continue travelling to South Africa, India, and other countries for medical care we can provide here," he added.

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Professor Nana Aba Amfo, welcomed Mahama’s commitment to reintegrating UGMC into the University’s system. She also highlighted the need for a broader conversation about funding for higher education to support such initiatives.

“I am happy to hear of your plans for UGMC and remain at your disposal to discuss how we can properly situate the hospital within the University system as originally intended. Higher education needs to be a significant part of the agenda, and I believe we need a dispassionate discussion regarding sustainable funding for it,” Professor Amfo stated.