Focus Orthopaedic Hospital appeals for duty-free privileges

Dr Oheneba Boachie- Adjei, Director of Pantang-based Focus Orthopaedic Hospital, has appealed to the Ministry of Health to give duty-free exemption to the facility on the importation of sophisticated surgical equipment to treat patients.

The Hospital, which opened in 2012 offer specialised treatment for complex spine and joint deformities and deficiencies.

Dr Boachie-Adjei made this known to the Ghana News Agency at the weekend when Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asantehene, led a large retinue of chiefs to visit the Hospital.

He also expressed concern about frequent power outages, which could destroy the medical equipment, and appealed to the electricity authorities to provide the facility with a transformer to ensure uninterrupted power supply.

Dr Boachie-Adjei took Asantehene round the diagnostic laboratory, surgery, pharmacy, radiology, physiotherapy departments, recovery room and the 50 bed-seater wards.

The Hospital, which operates two state-of-the-art surgical theatres, started with $16 million raised from the United States and other parts of the world.

Dr Boachie-Adjei said the first class orthopaedic hospital reputed to be the first class facility in Africa had treated high profile patients like former Head of State; John Agyekum Kufuor.

He said orthopaedic operations began in 1998 at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital where both local and international volunteers offered treatment.

He said a medical outreach programme was sustained mainly through fund raising.

Since its inception, the Orthopaedic Department had treated about 29,000 patients and successfully carried out 1000 complex spine and joint replacements surgery.