President John Dramani Mahama on Tuesday received the report of the Transition Committee on the transfer of the University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) from the Ministry of Health to the University of Ghana, marking a key step in the hospital’s governance reform.
Speaking at the presentation, President Mahama assured the Transitional Management Committee that the report would be forwarded to Cabinet immediately for final input and implementation. He commended the committee for what he described as a diligent and timely execution of its mandate.
The committee is co-chaired by Professor Aaron Lawson, a former Provost of the College of Health Sciences at the University of Ghana and a seasoned academic. Its work focused on identifying a sustainable framework to reposition UGMC as a leading teaching, research and referral hospital.
President Mahama reiterated that UGMC was established as a world-class centre for advanced medical care, research and learning for the University of Ghana. He described the facility as the country’s highest quaternary medical institution, stressing the need to preserve its standards in clinical care, logistics and equipment.
“We want to find the best path in which we can maintain the hospital at the standard in which it is,” the President said.
The Transitional Management Committee has recommended a 10-year transition plan to gradually wean the hospital off government subventions. The proposal includes a performance-based leadership contract aimed at strengthening accountability, efficiency and long-term financial sustainability.
The recommendations are expected to guide Cabinet’s final decision on the transfer and future management of UGMC.