The Minister for Health, Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has urged health professionals across the country to keep compassion, dignity, and respect at the very core of patient care, insisting that no amount of technological innovation can ever take the place of the human connection in medicine.
He gave the advice during an unannounced visit to the Weija-Gbawe Children’s Specialist Hospital on Saturday to assess operational progress and inspect infrastructure at the facility.
Addressing staff during the tour, the Minister acknowledged the growing impact of modern technology in clinical practice but maintained that the essence of healthcare lies in human empathy.
“AI has come to ease the work we do, but AI will never have compassion for human beings. That is our strength. If we lose that, there will not be any difference between us and AI,” Hon. Akandoh remarked.
Expressing his satisfaction with the official commencement of services at the specialised child health centre, the Minister announced immediate steps to bolster the hospital’s clinical capacity. He directed the swift deployment of 10 medical doctors along with 30 nurses and midwives to reinforce the existing workforce and assist in scaling up clinical operations.
Hon. Akandoh further advised the hospital’s management and clinical staff to adhere to strict maintenance protocols to preserve both the infrastructure and essential medical equipment.
He also welcomed the facility’s formal accreditation under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), reassuring management that the Ministry remains committed to resolving outstanding operational bottlenecks to guarantee top-tier healthcare delivery for all patients.
Briefing the Minister on progress so far, the Acting Medical Superintendent, Dr Nana Okine Brago, revealed that the 120-bed capacity facility officially opened its doors on August 17, 2026, operating primarily as a secondary-level referral centre.
Dr Brago noted that active preparations are currently underway to roll out full inpatient services as additional medical personnel are integrated into the hospital’s workflow.
The unannounced inspection forms part of the Health Ministry’s ongoing nationwide routine monitoring exercises, aimed at evaluating facility readiness, addressing systemic challenges, and ensuring that public health investments are fully optimised for improved patient outcomes.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
