- Orion Hospital opens in Kumasi
- Facility to provide quality healthcare services
- Boosts Ghana's healthcare delivery
The Ministry of Health has emphasized the critical role that non-governmental healthcare providers and institutions play in bridging gaps in healthcare access and ensuring inclusivity across Ghana.
Dr. Darius Osei Kofi, the Technical Advisor to the Minister of Health, highlighted the importance of addressing both geographical and financial barriers to healthcare, stating that quality healthcare must be accessible to all. He stressed that private sector contributions, such as those from hospitals like Orion Hospital, are essential in narrowing health equity gaps and ensuring more equitable healthcare delivery in the country.
Speaking at the inauguration of Orion Hospital in Kumasi, Dr. Osei Kofi noted that private hospitals are instrumental in complementing government efforts to address disparities in healthcare access. He further explained that such hospitals can play a significant role in improving health equity by partnering with the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to expand coverage and gain financing support.
“Private hospitals complement the healthcare needs of the country. When talking about the dimensions of quality care, geographical access and financial access are factored in. And with the improvement in the national health insurance scheme, even though they are private facilities, they should take advantage of making sure there’s equity in healthcare that the poor can afford,” Dr. Osei Kofi said.
“If that happens, then there is improvement in health financing. So private institutions can take advantage of the national health insurance partnership with private institutions and corporate organizations,” he added.
The inauguration of Orion Hospital in Kumasi was attended by health experts and authorities, who emphasized the important role the facility will play in improving healthcare in the Ashanti region. The 43-bed capacity hospital is equipped with laboratory services, an ICU with ventilators, a fully functioning emergency unit, and various specialized wards.
Dr. Kwabena Achamfour Ababio, the Chief Executive Officer of Orion Hospital, explained that the establishment of the facility was in response to the shortcomings in healthcare infrastructure that were exposed by the 2019 COVID-19 pandemic.
“During the COVID pandemic, Komfo Anokye was in short supply of ventilators, and that exposed the vulnerabilities that needed to be addressed. These informed interventions, including ours, have come to fill the gaps,” Dr. Achamfour Ababio said.
He highlighted that the hospital produces its own oxygen and has a stable power supply, along with alternative energy sources. Additionally, the facility boasts four fully equipped theatres for various surgical procedures and a team of specialists to meet the healthcare needs of the community.
Dr. Fred Adomako-Boateng, the Ashanti Regional Director of Health Services, emphasized the importance of continued collaboration between the private and public sectors in achieving universal health coverage.
“The state of healthcare in Ghana is a shared responsibility. The landscape is dynamic and evolving, especially with a growing population and the emergence of complex health challenges. The demand for comprehensive, high-quality healthcare is critical, and the Ghana Health Service has a mandate to ensure that,” Dr. Adomako-Boateng said.
“We cannot address the increasing health issues alone. It requires collaboration, innovation, and synergy between private stakeholders to achieve universal health coverage. The establishment today exposes the power of the private sector to expand access and provision of specialized expertise,” he added.
