The Executive Secretary of the Ghana Federation of Labour (GFL), Abraham Koomson, has expressed concerns over the privatisation of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the International Maritime Hospital (IMAH) in Tema, Ghana. The ICU was handed over to ARES Centre of Excellence, a private entity, raising questions about the affordability of critical healthcare for workers in the maritime industry and the general public.
According to Mr Koomson, a 44-year-old patient was admitted to the ICU on August 6, 2026, and incurred daily charges exceeding GH¢30,000. The total bill for 12 days of care exceeded GH¢300,000. Mr Koomson's son was a patient at the hospital but sadly passed away on August 19, 2026. He described the situation as troubling, given that the hospital was established to provide quality healthcare to workers in the maritime industry and the general public.
The Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA)-operated IMAH was constructed to provide healthcare services to the maritime community and the general public. Construction was completed in 2016, and the facility became operational in 2017. The hospital's original mandate was to provide accessible healthcare, but the controversy surrounding the ICU arrangement has raised questions about the extent to which this mandate is being fulfilled.
Mr Koomson further expressed concern that even GPHA staff and their dependants were reportedly affected by the high cost of accessing intensive care at the facility. He said it was unfortunate that workers of an institution that had invested in the establishment of the hospital could struggle to afford treatment in one of its critical departments.
The GFL Executive Secretary questioned the process through which the ICU of a publicly owned hospital was carved out and handed over to a private operator. He called for clarity on the terms of the arrangement, the authority that approved it, the due diligence conducted before the agreement, and the benefits accruing to GPHA and the state.
When contacted by The Ghanaian Chronicle, the Chief Executive Officer of IMAH, Dr Vitus Anab, confirmed that the ICU was being operated by private interests, adding that the operators were not Ghanaians. This has sparked concerns about the management of critical healthcare infrastructure within publicly owned institutions and the need to ensure that commercial arrangements do not undermine access to essential medical services.
The controversy has raised questions about the extent to which the hospital’s original mandate of providing accessible healthcare is being fulfilled. The Ghanaian Chronicle will continue to follow the matter and examine the circumstances surrounding the arrangement, including the terms of the agreement and its implications for GPHA, its workers, and the general public.
Key points
- The ICU of Tema Maritime Hospital was privatised and handed over to ARES Centre of Excellence, a private entity.
- A patient was slapped with a GH¢317k bill after a short admission to the ICU.
- The privatisation of the ICU has raised concerns about the affordability of critical healthcare for workers in the maritime industry and the general public.
