By Grace Zigah
Residents of Weija Gbawe have taken to the streets to protest the continued closure of a fully completed children’s specialist hospital, calling on government to urgently operationalise the facility to address growing healthcare needs.
The protest, held on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, saw demonstrators dressed in red and black, holding placards and voicing frustration over what they describe as an unjustified delay in opening the hospital.
According to residents, the facility—completed about two years ago—remains unused despite being fully equipped with modern medical infrastructure.
The 120-bed children’s hospital is reported to have state-of-the-art equipment, including an oxygen plant, MRI and CT scan machines, laboratories, three operating theatres, and a dedicated hostel for mothers whose children are admitted.
The project was initiated and completed under the previous administration of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Mahamudu Bawumia, but has yet to be commissioned under the current government led by John Dramani Mahama.
Residents argue that the delay is worsening access to specialised paediatric care in the area, leading to congestion at nearby health facilities and, in some cases, avoidable loss of lives.
Others also highlighted the economic impact, noting that the unopened facility represents lost job opportunities for trained healthcare professionals.
In an interview, one protester, a pharmacy graduate, said the hospital’s closure has left many qualified individuals unemployed.
“I am here because I want this facility opened. I studied pharmacy, and I am home doing nothing. This hospital can provide jobs and help us serve patients,” the protester said.
Another resident pointed to the challenges families face when seeking specialised care for children, citing long travel times and traffic delays.
“Our children are suffering. Sometimes, getting to a children’s hospital takes too long. We are pleading with government to intervene,” the resident noted.
Another protester insisted that the facility is ready for immediate use, describing it as fully completed and properly equipped.
“Everything is in place. Even the environment alone supports healing. We don’t understand why it is still closed,” the protester added.
The Member of Parliament for the area, Jerry Ahmed Shaib, also expressed concern about the situation, describing the delay as unacceptable.à
He emphasised that significant resources are being spent to maintain the facility while it remains idle, including costs associated with powering and preserving medical equipment.
Shaib further recounted witnessing overcrowding at nearby hospitals, where patients reportedly receive treatment under strained conditions despite the availability of the completed facility. He stressed that the hospital’s 120-bed capacity, combined with its advanced infrastructure, makes its continued closure difficult to justify.
He cautioned against politicising the commissioning of the hospital, arguing that healthcare delivery should be prioritised over partisan considerations.
According to him, the facility is not tied to any political administration but is a national asset intended to serve the people.
The protest reflects growing public pressure on government to act, as residents demand immediate steps to open the hospital, reduce the burden on existing health facilities, and improve access to quality healthcare for children in the area.
