Chiefs and elders of the Asogli State have expressed concern over the deteriorating condition of the Ho Teaching Hospital, citing inadequate medical equipment, infrastructure deficits, and challenges affecting healthcare delivery in the Volta Region.
The concerns were raised during an engagement with the Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, during his visit to the region on Friday, June 12, 2026.
Speaking on behalf of the chiefs, the Chief of Ho-Heve, Togbe Anikpi III, questioned whether the facility was living up to its status as a teaching hospital, pointing to the lack of critical equipment and essential services.
“We have observed that despite the elevation to teaching hospital status, facilities there, especially equipment-wise, are lacking. At times, one wonders whether it is truly a teaching hospital or it is still a regional hospital,” he said.
Togbe Anikpi III specifically highlighted the non-functionality of the hospital’s Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) facility, which he said had remained unused for nearly a decade after its establishment.
“It is unfortunate that a vital piece of equipment like the MRI, which was constructed almost 10 years ago, is still not functioning. They still refer patients from here to Accra and elsewhere for MRI services,” he stated.
According to the chiefs, the inadequacies at the hospital have forced many patients to seek medical care outside the Volta Region, resulting in additional financial and emotional burdens on families.
Beyond healthcare infrastructure, the traditional leaders also raised concerns about the growing number of unemployed nursing graduates.
Togbe Anikpi III noted that many trained nurses remain on waiting lists for several years after completing their studies and have resorted to petty trading and other informal economic activities to survive.
“We have a nursing training school here in Ho, and some of the graduates have been on the waiting list after graduation for four, five or even six years without employment. It wasn’t like that in the past, and we are becoming very worried about the situation,” he said.
He warned that prolonged delays in employment could affect the professional competence of graduates.
“At times, after four years, by the time they are engaged, they might have forgotten some of the things they were taught in school. We want measures put in place so that our health professionals are employed soon after completing their programmes,” he added.
Responding to the concerns, Mr. Akandoh assured the chiefs that the government was taking steps to address the challenges confronting the Ho Teaching Hospital.
He said efforts were underway to improve healthcare delivery at the facility by addressing infrastructure and equipment deficits that have affected service provision.
The Minister also disclosed that government was reviewing admission quotas for nursing training institutions as part of broader efforts to align training with available resources and improve the recruitment and posting of qualified nurses.
He assured the chiefs that measures were being considered to ensure that trained health professionals are absorbed into the healthcare system more efficiently while improving conditions at the Ho Teaching Hospital.
