Mahama Slams NPP's Sunyani Teaching Hospital Upgrade as 'Mere Publicity', Announces Establishment of Medical School at UENR

Bono East Region - 31 May, 2025 - President John Dramani Mahama has lambasted the previous government's decision to upgrade the Sunyani Regional Hospital to a Teaching Hospital, describing it as a mere publicity stunt lacking the necessary infrastructure and legal framework.

Speaking during his Thank-you tour of the Bono Region, Mahama revealed that his administration has taken steps to legally upgrade the hospital and establish a medical school at the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR).

According to Mahama, the Council of State has approved the hospital's board, and collaborations with UENR are underway to commence training health professionals. 

The President also announced plans to uncap the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) to release more resources for critical infrastructure projects in educational institutions, including UENR, which will facilitate the establishment of a fully-fledged medical school.

Mahama criticized the previous government's handling of the hospital's upgrade, stating that it was done without proper legal legislation. In contrast, his administration has taken concrete steps to ensure the hospital's upgrade is backed by law and supported by necessary infrastructure.

“The previous government announcement on the upgrade of the Sunyani Teaching Hospital into a teaching hospital was not backed by any legal legislation. We have corrected that. The Council of State has approved the board, and collaboration with UENR is underway to begin the training of health professionals to serve the Bono, East, Ahafo, and beyond.”

“UENR has suffered stagnation due to inadequate investment. The new NDC administration is going to change that. One of the first steps taken by my administration has been to uncap the GETFund. This will release more resources to the fund to undertake critical infrastructure projects in all our educational institutions.

“The GETFund has recently conducted an infrastructure audit of the UENR university and will soon commence construction of additional facilities to support the establishment of a fully-fledged medical school.”

The establishment of a medical school at UENR is expected to benefit not only the Bono Region but also neighboring regions, including East and Ahafo.

Source: Lead News Online