By Grace Zigah
The Ministry of Health has announced a sweeping assessment of healthcare facilities across the Oti Region, signaling a renewed push by government to tighten oversight, improve service delivery and address long-standing concerns about infrastructure and patient safety in the public health system.
The directive, issued by the Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, orders a comprehensive audit of all health facilities in the region, covering hospitals, clinics and other public health institutions.
The decision was made during a two-day management retreat of the Ministry of Health and was formally communicated in a statement shared by the ministry on its official Facebook page on Tuesday, January 13, 2026.
Under the order, the Technical Advisor to the Ministry of Health, Dr. Korku Awoonor, has been tasked to set up a technical working group to carry out the exercise.
The team is expected to examine the structural integrity of health facilities, assess their operational capacity, and evaluate overall productivity, with the aim of determining whether existing facilities meet approved safety, quality and performance standards.
The Oti Region, carved out of the Volta Region in 2019, has over the years grappled with challenges common to many newly created regions, including limited health infrastructure, staffing gaps and ageing facilities.
Health advocacy groups and residents have repeatedly called for increased investment and closer supervision to ensure that healthcare delivery keeps pace with the region’s growing population.
According to the Ministry of Health, the audit forms part of a broader national agenda to strengthen supervision of public health infrastructure and ensure that facilities across the country are fit for purpose.
Officials say the findings from the Oti exercise will help guide future interventions, including rehabilitation, expansion or retooling of facilities where necessary.
Beyond the regional audit, the Health Minister has also announced a nationwide directive aimed at improving hygiene and patient experience in public hospitals.
All government health facilities are to introduce 24-hour cleaning services, a move the ministry says is critical to strengthening infection prevention and control measures.
Poor sanitation and inconsistent cleaning services in some hospitals have in the past raised concerns among patients and health workers, particularly in high-traffic facilities where overcrowding increases the risk of hospital-acquired infections. The ministry believes round-the-clock cleaning will help create safer and more patient-friendly healthcare environments.
In a statement, the ministry noted that the combined measures — the Oti Region audit and the nationwide cleaning directive — reflect government’s commitment to raising standards in the health sector through proactive supervision, improved facility management and sustained investment in quality healthcare delivery.
