Accra, Sept. 8, GNA - The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) on Thursday inaugurated a 64-Slice CT Scan for the Cocoa Clinic in Accra, to help improve quality services and enhance the health status of Ghanaians.

The one-million-dollar CT Scan was acquired for the clinic as part of efforts to expand and modernise health facilities in all its clinics in Accra, Kumasi and Akim Tafo in the Eastern Region.

Mr Anthony Fofie, Chief Executive Officer of COCOBOD, stressed the need for the COCOBOAD management and staff of the clinic to adopt preventive maintenance in managing the facility to ensure maximum benefit for all.

He entreated the staff to ensure scheduling and implementation of routine periodic maintenance plan and report any identified fault or peculiarity to the appropriate quarters for immediate action.

Mr Fofie said: 93Our high expectations are that this physical facilities as well as services provided therein will serve as a big responsibility for those charged with its operations. The facility appears modest but I believe that if it is well utilised, managers of the clinic will in no time be recognised as making very significant contribution to medical care in Ghana".

He emphasised the need for attitudinal change of health staff in the discharge of their duties and to offer patients best services and care that would enable them recuperate faster, adding, 93For a Better Ghana, we need a sound body and a better health care".

Mr Fofie gave the assurance that COCOBOD was committed to improving the health status of all Ghanaians thereby ensuring productivity in the country.

Dr Victor Kofi Osei, Director, Cocoa Clinic, said a special fund had been set aside to finance any possible maintenance on the scan, which started operation three weeks ago should occur.

He said the clinic was the first quasi-government hospital in Ghana to acquire such a facility with various uses, and enable patients to undergo thorough health investigations for proper diagnosis.

"CT Scan is medical equipment used to image the body of a human being or animal from hair to toe".

Mr Amissah Arthur, Technical Director of F. Malawi Engineering Company Limited, dealers in the equipment said 93Unlike the two slice scan at the Korle-bu Teaching Hospital, the 64-slice scan enables patients to stay in for shorter period, have good images and able to trace every little sickness hidden in the body".

Mr Rojo Mettle-Nunoo, Deputy Minister of Health, in an address read on his behalf by Mr Samuel Boateng, Director in-charge of Procurement and Supply at the Ministry, said acquisition of the CT Scan for the clinic showed the management's determination to live up to its social responsibilities towards its employees, farmers and the general public.