Kwami Sefa Kayi honoured for contributing to paediatric care

Ghanaian media personality and broadcaster, Kwami Sefa Kayi, has been recognised by the Paediatric Society of Ghana for his outstanding contributions to the health care of infants, children, adolescents and young adults (Paediatrics). 

He was honoured for the work of his Kokrokoo Charities Foundation, a health and social intervention initiative, which, among others, donates incubators to health facilities across the country.

Mr Kayi, who is a journalist with an Accra-based radio station, received a citation which highlighted his commitment and dedication to reducing infant mortality and promoting quality health care for preterm babies, exemplifying true compassion and service to humanity.

“Your visionary leadership in launching Project 100 has significantly improved and strengthened neonatal care in Ghana, providing life-saving incubators and essential medical support to hospitals across the country, giving preterm babies an improved fighting chance to survival,” part of the citation read.

He was honoured at the organisation’s 25th Annual General and Scientific Meeting (AGSM) last Friday.

It was on the theme: “Universal Health Coverage: Bridging Gaps and Building Resilience in Child Healthcare Delivery across Ghana.”

Other personalities were recognised for their contributions towards paediatric care in the areas of education, training and leadership, among others. 

Project

Mr Kayi, in expressing his gratitude for the recognition, stated that the non-profit organisation had successfully donated 62 incubators out of its target of 100.

He emphasised the significant impact these donations had made in improving neonatal care across various hospitals, ensuring that more premature babies received the critical support they needed to survive.

Additionally, he announced that the organisation had ambitious plans to establish a Mother’s Unit at the Ho Teaching Hospital in the Volta Region.

He explained that this initiative was aimed at providing a more comprehensive healthcare solution for mothers and newborns, ensuring that they received adequate medical attention in a conducive environment.

However, he lamented that financial constraints had created major obstacles for the organisation, making it difficult to meet its goals within the expected timeline.

Mr Kayi, therefore, made a passionate appeal to corporate organisations and the private sector to support the cause, stressing that contributions, whether financial or material, would go a long way in ensuring that more incubators were provided and that the Mother’s Unit project and the overall goal of the organisation became a reality, ultimately saving countless lives and improving maternal and neonatal health care in the country.

Bridging gaps

The President of the Paediatric Society of Ghana, Dr Hilda Boye, said the society recognised individuals and organisations contributing to child health to encourage others to do the same.

She then highlighted key gaps in child health care, including financial challenges, as not all families could afford health care even with the National Health Insurance Scheme.

She also said there was an uneven distribution of healthcare professionals, with the urban areas having more specialists than rural areas, adding that access to essential laboratory services and medications is limited in some regions, forcing families to travel long distances for treatment.

Dr Boye stressed the importance of working with the government, health services and other partners to improve child health care and called on everyone, including the public, to support efforts towards achieving universal health coverage.