The long-awaited 120-bed Children’s Specialist Hospital at Weija has moved closer to becoming operational following the formal handover of the completed facility to the Ghana Health Service (GHS).
The contractor handed over the facility to the Ministry of Health, which subsequently transferred responsibility for the hospital to the GHS on Friday, August 7, 2026.
The handover represents a major administrative step towards opening the specialist paediatric facility, although the date for the commencement of clinical services remains unclear.
Outstanding issues
There are indications that some financial obligations to the contractor are yet to be fully settled by the government, potentially leaving further administrative processes to be completed before the hospital can begin receiving patients.
The development follows growing frustration among residents and parents in the Weija-Gbawe Municipality over the prolonged delay in operationalising the facility, which had reportedly been completed for more than a year.
In May 2026, residents staged a demonstration demanding the immediate opening of the hospital.
They argued that keeping the completed facility closed was denying children in the municipality and surrounding communities access to specialised healthcare.
Pressure over the delayed opening intensified after the demonstration, with the contractor reportedly being invited by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) following a meeting with Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh.
Expected to boost paediatric healthcare
When fully operational, the hospital is expected to provide specialised paediatric services to children in Weija-Gbawe and neighbouring communities.
Its 120-bed capacity is also expected to increase the available space for diagnosis, treatment and other specialised child healthcare services.
The facility could help reduce pressure on the St. Louis Children’s Hospital, whose ageing infrastructure has presented challenges to the delivery of specialised paediatric care.
It could also reduce the need for families in the area to travel long distances to access advanced healthcare services for their children.
For residents who have campaigned for the hospital’s opening, however, the handover marks only the beginning of the process.
The authorities will still need to complete the necessary staffing, administrative and operational arrangements before the facility can begin providing services to the public.
The official date for the hospital’s commencement of operations has not yet been announced.
