The management of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) has unveiled prospects in its operations for the 2021 New Year.
The GH¢2.2 million Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Centre, funded through the facility’s Internally Generated Fund, would commence the provision of top-level specialist fertility services to the public this year.
Dr. Oheneba Owusu-Danso, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) who disclosed this at the annual meeting with editors and senior journalists, revealed that four fertility specialists had already completed training in South Africa, Australia, UK and Ghana, in readiness for the operations of the ART Centre, effective second quarter of this year.
He further disclosed that the Korean Foundation for International Healthcare (KOFIH) was assisting KATH financially to procure specialised equipment and instruments, and fund the training of surgeons, nurses and allied staff in South Korea for the proposed Specialised Laparoscopy Centre by the middle of this year.
According to him, the US$1 million Laparoscopy Centre is expected to facilitate the provision of a pinhole or minimally invasive surgical services to help improve surgical outcomes.
The KATH CEO outlined challenges the facility faced, following the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, mentioning that it had witnessed severe operational and financial difficulties from a reduction in patronage by clients, and hikes in the unit cost of consumables from increased rate in utilisation of such products.
He indicated that the hospital spent GH¢225,000 on the supply of 1,000 boxes of face masks every three weeks at the height of the pandemic.
Dr. Owusu-Danso said, however, that in spite of the challenges posed by the pandemic, the facility successfully deployed the paperless system through the Lightwave Health Information Management System (LHIMS) project, expected to revolutionise operations of the facility.
Under the project, all clinical operations of the hospital, since August 2020, were computerised to replace patients’ folders.
The head of KATH also mentioned that a total of GH¢8 million worth of equipment was procured by the hospital in 2020 alone.
The Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, he said, also completed the construction of a 47-unit flat for House Officers at Bantama, and staff quarters in Kumasi at the cost of GH¢5 million.
Dr. Owusu-Danso also announced that major vital equipment, including a 128-slice Siemens C.T. Scan, two C-Arms, Electro Convulsive Therapy (ECT) machine, two operating theatre tables, and an electronic induction casting machine were also procured for the various clinical directorates through the use of the hospital’s Internally Generated Fund (IGF) in the year 2020.
Among the newly-installed equipment are a 128 slice Siemens C.T. Scan (Radiology Department of the Accident and Emergency unit); Vitros 5600 Biochemistry Analyser, Endoscopy machine, Echo machine, Electro Convulsive Therapy machine (Psychiatry Unit), Dental Induction Casting machine at the Oral Health Directorate, and surge protectors for the two newly-installed oxygen plants.
Dr. Owusu-Danso said management had also completed a five year strategic plan, spanning 2020-2024, which will serve as a policy document for the further development of the hospital and its available resources.
The proposed 2020-2024 strategic plan follows the successful completion of the previous 2015-2019 Strategic Plan adopted by the hospital.
The post KATH to provide specialist fertility services by mid-year appeared first on The Chronicle Online.
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