Residents of Adadientem and its environs in the Ejisu Municipality will no longer have to travel long distances to access quality healthcare following the opening of the Riva Swiss Hospital.

The new facility which is installed with virtually all modern hospital equipment is also expected to serve communities such as Manhyia, Bisease, New Ampabame, Kubease, Hwereso and Boankra.

Some residents of these communities who witnessed the inauguration of the ultra- modern facility could not hide the excitement about the proximity of the hospital and how it could respond to their health needs.

"This is a huge relief for some of us because this hospital can provide the services that take me to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital every month", Mr. Kwame Afrifa, a middle-aged man told the Ghana News Agency (GNA).

Mr Afrifa who lives at Manhyia, said such private investors in the health sector must be given tax incentives to encourage more investors to build hospitals to improve access and affordability to quality healthcare.

Such a move, he said, would also reduce pressure on the existing referral facilities and improve health delivery nationwide.

Dr. Okoe Boye, the Deputy Health Minister, in a speech read on his behalf applauded owners of the hospital not only for investing in the health sector but also citing the facility outside the city.

He said the establishment of hospitals, clinics and health centres by the private sector to complement that of the government would accelerate the achievement of the Universal Health Coverage by Ghana under the Sustainable development Goals (SDGs).

The Deputy Health Minister said Ghana was on course to achieving UHC even before the 2030 date set by the United Nations (UN) with expansion of health infrastructure coupled with the improvement of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

He therefore implored Ghanaians to join the NHIS to ensure accessible and affordable healthcare irrespective of location and financial status.

Dr Okoe Boye was hopeful that the government's plans to build more hospitals under the Agenda 111Policy would go a long way to improve access to quality healthcare and urged Ghanaians to renew the President's mandate in order not to truncate that vision.

Dr Michael Amfo Afriyie, Resident Doctor of the hospital, assured clients of first class service that would hasten their healing process.

He said management had carefully recruited well trained health professionals committed to providing exceptional service for its cherished clients and urged residents to patronize the facility.