The causes of delay in health constructional projects and its effect on health delivery of the Ghana Health Service (A case study of the Upper East Region)

Abstract

Delay and or time overruns are common in health constructional projects in Ghana especially Upper East Region. The project work presents the results of a study conducted to identify and evaluate the severity and importance of the major factors contributing to delay in Health constructional projects of the Ghana Health Service. The respondents of the survey conducted included personnel from clients/owners, consultants and contractors involved in health constructional projects in the upper east region of Ghana. The results of the study revealed the main causes of delay of health constructional projects in the upper east of Ghana included: Poor Contract Management, Poor Technical Performance, Escalation of Material prices, Inflation, Additional works, Deficiencies in cost Estimates Prepared, material procurement, and Cash flow during construction, monthly payment difficulties and price fluctuations. Design changes, planning and scheduling deficiencies, Low bid, Mistakes during construction and designing. Other factors that emerged clearly though not very important, but of interest, were bad weather Ground problems, unexpected natural conditions, late delivery of materials and equipment and Imported materials. These are the natural factors. It is therefore recommended that, effective project planning, coordinating, controlling and monitoring procedures should be recognized to augment the project performance in order to minimize or avoid delay and its associate problems in health constructional projects in the Ghana Health Service.