Construction of the long-awaited Weija-Gbawe Pediatric Hospital has come to a halt following procurement concerns flagged in a recent World Bank post-review report. The development has deepened uncertainty around the project’s future and stalled delivery of critical child-health services that the facility was expected to provide.
The Bank’s review, dated Friday, December 12, highlighted a number of irregularities in the Ministry of Health’s procurement processes under the Children’s Hospitals Project. Key issues included weak documentation supporting contract cost estimates, unclear justification for high-value medical equipment pricing, incomplete negotiation records, and delays in equipment delivery linked to construction setbacks.
A major point of contention was the cost of a 128-slice CT scanner procured for the Weija facility. The report described the US$1.53 million price tag as significantly above global market benchmarks.
Responding to the concerns, the Ministry of Health argued that CT scanners are custom-manufactured to meet detailed buyer specifications—meaning direct price comparisons without full configuration analysis can be misleading. The Ministry further explained that historical pricing data and relevant references were shared during evaluation, citing similar procurements under other national health projects.
The Bank also questioned the absence of documented price negotiations. In its response, the Ministry insisted that a full price reasonableness assessment was conducted in line with procurement regulations and that negotiations did take place, though further reductions were not feasible without affecting equipment quality.
Delays in the delivery and installation of medical equipment were also highlighted in the report. According to the Ministry, these setbacks stemmed from stalled construction works caused largely by slow payment releases, leaving the site unprepared to receive equipment on schedule.
Nationwide delays in distributing ultrasound systems were similarly noted. The Ministry attributed these challenges to the time required to finalize facility distribution lists and logistical arrangements. Other procurement issues included concerns about advance mobilization payments and the use of insurance bonds instead of bank guarantees. Officials clarified that updated bank guarantees were eventually provided and that some challenges were compounded by COVID-19 restrictions.
Although the Ministry addressed each issue and acknowledged the Bank’s recommendations, it did not state whether the review had directly caused any suspension of support for the project.
For now, construction at the Weija-Gbawe Pediatric Hospital remains suspended, raising concerns among health stakeholders who fear a prolonged delay in providing specialized healthcare services to children in the community. Many now await clarity on whether funding will be reinstated so the project can resume and the promised pediatric facility can finally be delivered.
