Speech Delivered by the Chief Executive Officer of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), DR. Oheneba
SPEECH DELIVERED BY THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE KOMFO ANOKYE TEACHING HOSPITAL (KATH), DR. OHENEBA OWUSU-DANSO, AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE HOSPITAL’S 2021 PERFORMANCE REVIEW CONFERENCE HELD IN KUMASI ON TUESDAY, 22nd MARCH 2022
I am delighted for yet another opportunity to welcome you once again to an End-of-Year Performance Review conference of the hospital, as we assess our performance for the year 2021. This review conference also happens to be the maiden one for members of the new Board of the hospital following their assumption of office in September of last year. The conference was held under the theme “Building a resilient and affordable healthcare system: the role of Teaching Hospitals and the Healthcare Practitioner”.
The new Board is chaired by Ambassador Nana Effah-Apenteng, who was also chairman of the immediate past Board. Other members include Mr. Charles Dontoh, Dr. Kofi Osei-Afoakwa, Prof. Daniel Ansong, Prof. Sr. Frances Emily Owusu-Ansah, Dr. Kwaku Oteng, Dr. Caroline Reindorf Amissah, Dr. William Kwadwo Antwi, Ms. Hannah Okyere-Boateng, and Lawyer Maxwell Opoku-Agyeman.
The immediate past Board made significant investments in upgrading the hospital’s infrastructure and modernizing its operations, including reactivation of the Maternity and Children’s block project at a cost of 138.5 million euros, construction of the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit, reactivation of the Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine Expansion project, construction of a four-storey 47-flat house officers block, establishment of the KATH Endowment Fund and the 24-Hour Pharmacy, implementation of the paperless Electronic Medical Record System, KATH becoming the first Teaching Hospital in Ghana accredited by the Health Facilities Regulatory Agency, securing an MOU and funding for the National Cleft Care Centre, and establishing a National Laparoscopic Surgery & Training Centre with the Korean Foundation for International Health.
The Board also oversaw investment of about 30 million Ghana Cedis to re-tool the hospital with new equipment including surgical implants, a steam sterilizer for the Laundry Unit, two oxygen plants, an ECT machine, two operating theatre tables, and a 128-slice Siemens CT scan.
Despite the devastating effect of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the year 2021 witnessed a rebound in the hospital’s operations. Specialist OPD attendance increased from 190,657 cases in 2020 to 233,019 in 2021 (up 22.22%). Emergency admissions rose from 22,473 to 24,697 (up 9.90%). In-patient admissions rose from 28,951 to 29,968 (up 3.51%). Primary care OPD attendance rose from 45,979 to 53,113 (up 15.52%). Blood screened rose from 13,733 to 18,514 pints (up 34.81%). Physiotherapy services rose from 9,074 to 10,845 cases (up 19.52%). Radiotherapy services rose from 3,260 to 5,065 cases (up 55.37%). Radiology services rose from 49,575 to 55,601 cases (up 12.16%).
However, some indicators declined: surgical operations dropped from 17,162 to 15,220 cases (down 11.32%), laboratory services dropped from 249,205 to 212,870 cases (down 14.58%), and total deliveries fell from 6,247 to 5,909 (down 5.41%).
Development in building infrastructure during the period was also impressive. The old 47-year, 800-bed Maternity and Children’s block project was demolished to allow construction of an entirely new 500-bed replacement edifice after the old structure failed structural integrity tests. The Assisted Reproductive Technology Centre reached 65% completion. The hospital’s A1 Theatre was renovated into a two-room surgical facility for the Paediatric Surgery Unit with funding from KidsOR, a UK-based charity. Rehabilitation works were completed on the hospital’s 8-room guest house. A sod-cutting ceremony marked the take-off of construction of the four-storey National Cleft Care Centre, funded by Smile Train International through the Ghana Cleft Foundation. Work also commenced on expanding the hospital’s Dialysis Centre from 5 to 25 machines.
Management, with Board support, secured a Ghc2.5 million grant from the Ghana Gas Company for expansion of the hospital’s Psychiatry Unit, the main specialist mental health facility serving the entire northern half of Ghana. The introduction of telephone consultation by the Psychiatry Unit, commencement of intramural services, and establishment of a Corporate Clients Unit and a Patients’ Relations Committee were also meant to improve responsiveness to patients’ needs.
An “Innovation Award” with a prize of Ghc30,000 was introduced alongside the hospital’s Long Service, Special Commendation and Best Staff Awards, with the Laboratory Services Directorate winning the maiden award.
The Electronic Medical Records system, implemented about two and a half years earlier, has significantly improved patient waiting times and revenue generation, enabling the hospital to complete payment of the Ghc5.4 million cost of two ultramodern Oxygen Plants funded entirely from Internally Generated Funds.
While the Board and Management will continue to do much through the judicious use of Internally Generated Funds, there remains much more to be done, and all stakeholders are called upon to help address the historical challenges of obsolete, ageing and inadequate equipment, weak infrastructure and limited land space for expansion.
Sponsors of the conference included Pharmanova Limited, SAG Systems Limited, Gilat Pharmacy, Supra Pharma Limited and Medical Equipment and Ancillary Services (MEANS).
