Kufuor inaugurates MRI facility

Accra, May 2, GNA - Ghana on Tuesday took a giant step in the field of medial diagnostic services with the inauguration of a 27.5 billion cedis state-of-the-art Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Computer Tomograph (CT) Scanner equipment at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital. President John Agyekum Kufuor was on hand to perform the inauguration making Korle-Bu the first hospital in the whole of West Africa to have such a facility.

The MRI is radiological equipment that uses magnetism to examine the human body and can be used for the early detection of stroke, breast diseases, search for cancer spread, the study of blood flow, imaging of heart diseases and musculoskeletal diseases.

President Kufuor noted that the range of services, which the equipment would be used to perform, would now make it possible to diagnose and treat cases that otherwise would have required overseas medical treatment or resulted in death.

"This facility should enable the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital to function effectively as the nation's premier hospital, and also provide medical trainees the opportunity to learn with the state-of-the-art equipment."

He said the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) was also in line to have the MRI facility to serve the northern part of the country. President Kufuor said the project at Korle-Bu was just one of the many investments lined up to enhance health delivery. Funds, he said, had also been released to complete the renovation work on the tower section of the Medical Block to ease congestion in the Department.

President Kufuor said the problem of accommodation facing medical professionals was receiving serious attention and announced that 26 billion cedis had been released for the completion of work on 12 blocks of SSNIT flats at the Indafa Park at Korle-Bu. When completed, it would accommodate 200 doctors and other health professionals.

He used the occasion to encourage all Ghanaians to register for the National Health Insurance Scheme to gain access to the services to be provided through the use of modern equipment. Major Courage Quashigah (rtd), Health Minister, said the equipment would be useful only if everybody in the service chain worked efficiently.

He called on the various team leaders within the health sector to exhibit leadership qualities that would entice the other members of their teams to give of their best.

He also spoke of the need for the people to adopt healthy lifestyles and to observe personal and environmental hygiene to prevent diseases.

Professor Kwabena Frimpong Boateng, Chief Administrator, said he was unhappy with the recent industrial action embarked upon by some of the staff of the Hospital and told them that, "such actions should not compromise patients care".