KATH Accident and Emergency Unit will be ready by early 2008

Kumasi, Dec. 22, GNA - Doctor Anthony Nsiah-Asare, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) has hinted that, the Accident and Emergency Unit of the hospital would be completed by the first quarter of next year.

He explained that the Unit would cater for patients from the Northern Sector of the country, adding that, about 85 to 90 percent of the projects started by the hospital were near completion.

The CEO said this on Friday in Kumasi, at the annual thanksgiving service of the hospital as well as refreshing the tight-scheduled workers of the hospital after their hard work during the year. In attendance were the Departmental Heads, Doctors, Nurses, Supporting Staff and other stakeholders who were entertained with songs, Bible readings and sermon.

Dr. Nsiah-Asare stated that, the hospital was also marked out by the Ministries of Health and Communication for a pilot study for Tele-Medicines to enhance the provision of quality health care delivery to Ghanaians.

He stressed that the hospital was selected based on the existence of certain infrastructure at the centre for the programme. The CEO did not hide his joy when he said that, the selection would enable the hospital to come first among the other health facilities in the nation in the next few tears.

Dr. Nsiah-Asare congratulated the staff for their hard work but quickly added that a slight change in their attitudes towards work would enable them to attain excellence.

Mr. Osei-Assibey Antwi, Deputy Ashanti Regional Minister in a speech read for him, praised the staff of the hospital for not embarking on strike actions but used dialogues in resolving issues affecting them. He cited an example where the lives of 132 out of the 135 victims of the Asokwa gas explosion were saved when they were rushed in at the time when a lot of health centres were closed because of their strike actions.

The Deputy Regional Minister again thanked the hospital officials for their efforts which enabled eight children to benefit from free heart surgery.

He urged them to always put patients ahead of other priorities, especially during the Ghana 2008 and the campaigning periods when casualties may occur. The Reverend Father Samuel Opoku-Sarkodie, Chaplain of the hospital charged Ghanaians to live committed lives in order to accomplish the purpose for which they were created. He encouraged them to work hard towards peace, stability and justice to promote the development of the country. Intercessory prayers were said for the nation, the hospital and the sick.