President John Mahama has revealed a dire state of affairs at Ghana’s Greater Accra Regional Hospital, commonly known as Ridge Hospital, disclosing that essential imaging equipment, including MRI and CT scan machines, has been out of service since May 2022.
During his February 27 State of the Nation Address, Mahama highlighted the breakdown of diagnostic tools such as digital X-ray and ultrasound systems, severely hampering healthcare delivery at one of the nation’s flagship medical facilities.
“These machines are critical for timely diagnosis and treatment, yet they have sat idle for nearly three years,” Mahama stated, attributing the crisis to a systemic neglect of medical infrastructure maintenance. He noted that the last major nationwide hospital equipment procurement occurred in 2014 under his previous administration, leaving facilities across Ghana reliant on aging, deteriorating technology.
The revelation underscores a broader collapse in Ghana’s healthcare infrastructure, where broken equipment, spare parts shortages, and inadequate funding have forced hospitals to delay or deny care. At Ridge Hospital, staff confirm the absence of functional imaging tools has led to prolonged patient wait times, misdiagnoses, and referrals to costly private clinics. “We’re stuck treating patients blindly,” said a senior radiologist, who requested anonymity. “Cancer screenings, trauma cases—everything is backlogged.”
Mahama’s disclosure has reignited debates about successive governments’ prioritization of healthcare. While the 2014 procurement upgraded equipment in major hospitals, experts say lack of sustained investment and training rendered the initiative unsustainable. “Machines without maintenance contracts become scrap metal,” said public health analyst. “This isn’t just about buying equipment; it’s about building resilient systems.”
The President’s address did not outline specific plans to address the gaps but framed the crisis as part of a wider need for infrastructure revitalization. His remarks come amid growing public frustration over healthcare access, particularly as Ghana battles rising rates of non-communicable diseases like cancer and cardiovascular conditions, which require advanced diagnostics.
Civil society groups have demanded immediate action. “Ridge Hospital’s collapse is a national embarrassment,” said M’Ideas Limited Director. “If our premier facility can’t function, what does that say about rural clinics?”
The government faces mounting pressure to allocate emergency funds for equipment repairs, though fiscal constraints loom large. With Ghana’s public debt exceeding GH¢721 billion, critics argue that without transparent budgeting and anti-corruption measures, new investments risk repeating past failures.
For now, Mahama’s exposure of the crisis has shifted focus to the human toll of infrastructural decay. As patients bear the brunt of the breakdown, the urgency for solutions—not just revelations—grows louder.
