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Speaker Bagbin commissions expanded dialysis unit in Wa
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Speaker of Parliament Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin has commissioned an expanded dialysis unit at the Upper West Regional Hospital in Wa to improve access to kidney treatment for people in northern Ghana.
The project, estimated to cost about GH¢4 million, was undertaken in partnership with Sustainable Health Education and Interventions Limited (SHEILD), the Upper West Parliamentary Caucus, the Ministry of Health, the Ghana Health Service and other development partners.
The new facility was inaugurated on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, in Wa. It adds six dialysis machines, supporting equipment and staff training to strengthen renal care services at the hospital.
According to the Parliamentary Service, the expansion is expected to reduce the burden on patients with chronic kidney disease who previously travelled long distances to Accra, Kumasi and other major cities for dialysis treatment.
Commissioning the facility, Mr Bagbin described the project as an important investment in healthcare equity and social justice.
He noted that many families in the Upper West Region struggle to access specialist kidney care because of distance and cost.
“The people of the Upper West deserve to live with dignity. We deserve access to quality healthcare,” he stated, adding that the facility would bring treatment closer to patients and their families.
He commended SHEILD and the other partners for supporting the project and called for continued collaboration to improve specialist healthcare services across the country.
Board Director of SHEILD, Dr Sylvie Anie, indicated that the organisation remained committed to addressing critical healthcare gaps through sustainable interventions.
She explained that the expanded dialysis unit represented hope for patients who had struggled for years to obtain specialised kidney treatment.
Another Board Director of SHEILD, Dr John Nkrumah Mills, stressed that sustainable healthcare required investment in people, systems, partnerships and continuous capacity building.
He noted that the project demonstrated what could be achieved when institutions worked together to improve patient care.
Medical Director of the Upper West Regional Hospital, Dr Philip K. K. Baabiineh, stated that the expanded unit would significantly improve the hospital’s ability to provide comprehensive renal care.
He observed that many patients previously had limited treatment options and often travelled under difficult conditions to receive dialysis.
The Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, described the project as consistent with government’s efforts to expand specialist healthcare services and reduce regional disparities in access to treatment.
He encouraged stronger partnerships between government, private organisations, development partners and healthcare institutions to address the growing burden of non-communicable diseases.
The Parliamentary Service stated that chronic kidney disease was becoming a major public health challenge in Ghana, driven by increasing cases of hypertension, diabetes, obesity and late diagnosis.
It noted that access to dialysis services remained uneven, with most treatment centres concentrated in Accra and Kumasi, while many patients in northern Ghana faced high transport costs and long waiting times.
The commissioning ceremony was attended by government officials, traditional leaders, Members of Parliament, healthcare professionals, development partners, civil society organisations and community representatives.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Construction of a major underground stormwater drain along the Dr. Busia Highway within the Kaneshie enclave will commence on September 7, 2026.
The Project Coordinator for the Greater Accra Resilient and Integrated Development (GARID) Project, Dr. Kwadwo Ohene Sarfo, announced this at a special media briefing on Wednesday.
According to him, the works will involve the construction of a double-cell underground rectangular drain measuring approximately 10 metres wide and 1.95 kilometres long, stretching from Pamprom Junction to First Light Junction.
The new drain will replace the existing two 1.2-metre diameter pipes, which are inadequate to carry the volume of stormwater in the area.
Dr. Sarfo said the drain will connect at one end to the recently completed section within the Accra Academy campus and at the other end to the existing drain at Pamprom Junction.
He said the construction is expected to run from September 2026 to October 2027.
The project forms part of government’s broader flood prevention and mitigation programme aimed at addressing perennial flooding in Accra.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
The former Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, has withdrawn from the party’s National Chairmanship race.
In a statement issued yesterday, Chairman Wontumi who is currently serving a 20-year jail term said his decision was driven by his love for the party and his unwillingness to let his personal circumstances distract the NPP from its rebuilding efforts.
“There are moments in the life of a man when the heart wants to continue, but duty demands sacrifice. Moments when one must quietly set aside personal ambition, not because the dream has died, but because the family he loves must not be made to carry his burden. Today, I find myself at such a painful moment,” he wrote.
He disclosed that after many nights of prayer, sober reflection and consultations with his family, legal team, party elders, campaign team and trusted supporters, he concluded that his present situation must not become an additional burden on the NPP.
“This is not the decision my heart desired, but sometimes, true love requires us to release what we deeply want in order to protect what we love even more,” he added.
Recounting his years of service, Chairman Wontumi said he had served the party with everything within him, walking through heat and rain, travelling to remote communities and standing with the grassroots in both victory and defeat.
“For many years, I have served the NPP with everything within me… The NPP is not merely a political party to me. It is my family. It is my home. It is a cause to which I have dedicated a significant part of my life,” he stated.
He explained that the party, already carrying the pain of electoral defeat and the huge responsibility of preparing for the future, should not be made to carry his personal weight.
“That is why I cannot allow my present situation or personal ambition to distract the party from the difficult work of rebuilding. I cannot ask the party to carry my weight when it is already carrying the pain of defeat and the enormous responsibility of preparing for the battle ahead. I would rather carry this pain quietly than allow the party I love to suffer because of me,” he said.
He further sympathized with his supporters across the 16 regions, acknowledging that the decision would be painful for many who had sacrificed for his campaign.
“To my teeming supporters across all sixteen regions, I know this message will hurt. I know many of you will read it with tears in your eyes because I understand the sacrifices you have made for this journey,” he said.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
