Takoradi, April 16, – The Auditor-General has called on the Ministry of Health and teaching hospitals to urgently address persistent challenges in the procurement and maintenance of medical equipment across the country.
A Performance Audit Report on the procurement and maintenance of medical equipment in teaching hospitals revealed that equipment gaps, mishandling and limited maintenance capacity were undermining effective healthcare delivery.
The report, commissioned by Mr Johnson Akuamoah Asiedu, Auditor-General, noted that weak planning, inadequate budgeting, and lack of staff training, as well as insufficient tools and logistics for Biomedical Engineering Units, had contributed to high levels of non-functional equipment and prolonged downtime.
It said the situation was adversely affecting service delivery, revenue generation and the training of health professionals.
The report also identified Ho and Tamale Teaching Hospitals as relying on outsourced maintenance services at significant cost, despite having in-house biomedical engineering units capable of handling repairs if adequately resourced.
It recommended that the Ministry of Health undertake a comprehensive retooling exercise to improve efficiency and ensure effective healthcare delivery.
The teaching hospitals were also advised to invest in continuous capacity building for staff handling medical equipment to reduce mishandling.
Additionally, the report urged hospitals to strengthen and equip their Biomedical Engineering Units to enable in-house maintenance and allocate a portion of revenue generated from equipment use specifically for maintenance.
It noted that implementing these measures would enhance healthcare infrastructure and service delivery, while contributing to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 3.8 on Universal Health Coverage.
GHBUSS
16 April 2026
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