UGMC receives $50,000 boost for haematology, plastic surgery
The Tau Alpha Lambda (TAL) Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. (Ghana Alphas) has donated medical equipment worth US$50,000 to the Department of Haematology and the Department of Plastic Surgery of the University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) to enhance patient care and improve operational efficiency.
The gesture forms part of the fraternity’s core aims, mainly Deeds, scholarship and love for all mankind, and it seeks to help strengthen the hospital’s capacity in regenerative medicine, stem cell therapy and specialised surgical procedures.
The equipment includes a SmartPrep 3 Multicellular Processing System, Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate (BMAC) procedure packs and processing kits, bone marrow aspiration needles for harvesting and processing stem cells, particularly for patients with blood-related diseases and certain cancers.
It also includes adipose (fat) processing procedure packs, for fat grafting, scar revision, burns treatment, keloid management, hair restoration and facial rejuvenation; Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) procedure packs, used to promote healing and tissue regeneration in a wide range of conditions, including arthritis and chronic wounds; sterile procedure kits, IV start kits and other ancillary sterile medical supplies for ensuring that all surgical processes were conducted under optimal sterile conditions, improving safety and outcomes.
Commitment
Speaking on behalf of the fraternity during the presentation at a brief ceremony at the UGMC in Accra last week Wednesday, a member of the chapter, Kwabena Jumah, said the donation reflected the group’s longstanding commitment to community support.
“These equipments will help support what the hospital does in its daily operations. As an organisation, we support our community just as the organisation supports us, which is why we are here today,” he said.
He added that the chapter intended to continue partnering institutions in the health, education and social sectors.
Giving a brief background about Alpha Phi Alpha, Mr Jumah said it was founded in 1906 at Cornell University in the United States as the first intercollegiate historically African American fraternity.
The Tau Alpha Lambda Chapter in Ghana, he also explained, has, over the years, undertaken various initiatives aimed at uplifting communities and strengthening institutions.
Enhancing advanced care
Receiving the donation on behalf of the UGMC, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr Abdul-Samed Tanko, said the equipment would significantly enhance the hospital’s ability to deliver advanced care.
“This donation, worth about $50,000, will go a long way to help people who have blood-related diseases, as well as those who require plastic surgery and related procedures,” he said.
He explained that some of the equipment would be used in stem cell harvesting and regenerative therapies, including bone marrow aspiration for cancer patients.
“Looking at where we are at UGMC and where we want to go in terms of moving towards quaternary status, these are some of the things that will propel us towards giving the best quality of care to our patients,” Dr Tanko added.
Upgrade
For the Department of Plastic Surgery, Dr Tanko said that although the hospital already had some equipment, the new items would upgrade and supplement existing resources.
“These are new items that will upgrade what we have already and lead us closer to our goal of becoming a leading quaternary centre in the sub-region,” he said and commended the fraternity for the donation and called for sustained collaboration in other specialist areas.
