The Ministry of Health has attributed delays in the operationalization of the Weija Pediatric Hospital to procurement irregularities and unresolved contractual issues following protests by residents demanding the immediate opening of the facility.
The fully furnished 120-bed Weija Pediatric Hospital, completed in early 2025, is expected to serve as a major referral center for child healthcare in the Weija-Gbawe municipality and surrounding communities. The facility is also expected to ease pressure on existing hospitals and improve outcomes for critically ill children.
On Tuesday, May 5, 2026, residents staged a protest at the premises, calling on the government to commission and operationalize the hospital without further delay.
In a statement signed by the Ministry’s spokesperson, Tony Goodman, the Ministry explained that the hospital project, funded by the World Bank and initiated in 2023, was originally expected to be completed by December 2025.
However, the statement noted that the project encountered setbacks after the World Bank raised concerns over alleged “misprocurement.” According to the Ministry, some medical equipment costs were allegedly inflated to as much as eleven times their actual value, leading the World Bank to withhold settlement of outstanding payments.
The Ministry further explained that although steps had been taken to engage stakeholders and prepare the facility for commissioning, the contractor halted the process, insisting that all outstanding issues be resolved before access to the hospital could be granted.
“The Ministry of Health is actively engaging all stakeholders to resolve the matter in the best interest of the public,” Tony Goodman stated.
