The Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has promised to restore the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, commonly known as Ridge Hospital, to its former state of excellence.

During an unannounced inspection of the facility on April 11, 2025, Akandoh expressed his disappointment over the poor condition of the hospital.

The Minister criticized the management for allowing the facility, once a beacon of healthcare in the country, to deteriorate.

"This is not the Ridge Hospital we handed over to the former administration," Akandoh said. "I must be honest, this is not the Ridge Hospital we have all been boasting about. Ridge must return to its former glory, and we will ensure that happens."

Akandoh pointed out several key issues during his inspection. He highlighted that critical medical equipment, such as the MRI and CT scan machines, were not operational. The Minister also shared his frustration over the lack of basic facilities, saying, "I asked them to take me to the washroom, and we walked more than 2 kilometers looking for one. So yes, that is true."

The Minister further revealed that, despite earlier reports suggesting a plan to fix the equipment and improve the hospital’s infrastructure, the reality upon investigation was far from what was promised. "During the transition period, we read certain documents indicating that there was a program in place to fix all this equipment. But later, upon reviewing the reports and verifying for ourselves, we realized the reality was quite the opposite," he lamented.

The Minister of Health assured the public that his ministry would take immediate steps to address the facility's shortcomings. He emphasized that the Ridge Hospital, a critical healthcare institution in the region, would be restored to its former standing. "We are committed to bringing Ridge Hospital back to the standards it once had and beyond," he said, vowing that improvements would be made without delay.

The Minister’s visit and comments come amid growing concerns over the state of public healthcare facilities in the country, with Ridge Hospital being a key example of the challenges facing the sector. Akandoh’s pledge to restore the hospital aims to reassure the public that the government is focused on improving healthcare services for all.

Watch the video below:

'This is not the Ridge we handed over' – Mintah Akandoh blames previous gov’t for hospital decline#3NewsGH pic.twitter.com/VyvZPh1yWe— #TV3GH (@tv3_ghana) April 11, 2025