'NDC's commitment to healthcare increased life expectancy' - Manifesto

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) says Ghana’s life expectancy at birth increased from 60 years to 63 years from 2008 to 2013 because of its Administration’s commitment to deliver a better and improved healthcare system.

The NDC says the achievements under the health sector are as a result of the strategic investment made under the leadership of President John Dramani Mahama, and the ingenuity and responsiveness of health workers across the country.

“The NDC would, therefore, improve on these achievements if re-elected on December 7,” it states in its Election 2016 Manifesto, made available to the Ghana News Agency in Accra.

The publication of the manifesto is captured under the “GNA Tracks Election 2016 Project”, being funded by GOIL, the country’s foremost indigenous oil marketing company, and CIMG 2015 Petroleum Company of the Year.

The project seeks to sensitise the electorate on the various issues raised by political parties, the elections management body and governance institutions.

It aims at ensuring gender and social inclusion in national politics and to provide voice for the youth, vulnerable groups, opinion leaders and the broader spectrum of the society, and to contribute to the achievement of peaceful polls.

Another objective of the project is to create a platform to dissect the manifestos of all political parties and provide in-depth analysis of each thematic area to the electorate to enable them to make an informed judgement.

The NDC says with regard to Teaching hospitals; the government has constructed a new modern Emergency Department for the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital and a 617-bed Teaching Hospital at the University of Ghana.

“Our Government has also refurbished the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for the Department of Surgery at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital as well as renovated the Operating Theatre at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital and completed the Eye Care Centre at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi,” the NDC states.

On regional basis, the NDC says the Government has upgraded, expanded and constructed some hospitals namely: Greater Accra Regional Hospital at Ridge; Ashanti Regional Hospital at Sewua, and the Upper West Regional Hospital at Wa.

The NDC mentions the construction and equipping of 120-bed facilities with integrated IT systems at Dodowa, Fomena, Abetifi, Garu- Tempane, Kumawu and Sekondi, as other achievements.

It says plans are advanced to upgrade the Takoradi Hospital and expand the Bolgatanga Hospital into a 386-bed facility.

The Manifesto also states that there has been an initiation of processes for the commencement of five district hospitals at Somanya, Buipe, Sawla-Tuna-Kalba, Tolon and Wheta.

“There have also been the completion and operationalisation of five polyclinics in the Upper West Region; Northern Region’ Western Region and the Brong Ahafo Regions,” it states.

The party is also commencing the construction of 16 more polyclinics at the Greater Accra Region at Adenta, Ashaiman, Bortianor, Oduman and Sege.

The Manifesto states that the party has completed more than 1,200 CHPS Compounds, and an additional 1,600 are under construction.

In addition to these infrastructural works, the NDC Government has reduced annual AIDS deaths by 43 per cent and increased the out-patient utilisation of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) from 9.3 million in 2008 to 29.6 million in 2015, it states.