Continuous support needed to complete Heal Komfo Anokye project — KATH CEO
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), Dr Paa Kwesi Baidoo, has called for continuous support from stakeholders towards completing the Heal Komfo Anokye project.
“We will continue to ask for the steady support of the government, corporate Ghana, philanthropists and stakeholders in this regard to advance the pace of works commenced under the project”, he stressed.
Anniversary
Dr Baidoo made the remarks during the official launch of the 70th anniversary celebrations of the hospital on the theme: “70 Years of Impacting Lives-Celebrating the Past, Repositioning for the Future.”
The Heal Komfo Anokye Project is an initiative launched by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, to renovate the age-old Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi.
The project aimed to mobilise US$10 million to upgrade and restore the hospital’s 80-year-old buildings, which had deteriorated due to overuse and lack of maintenance.
It was launched in November 2023 as part of the Asantehene’s 25th anniversary legacy projects and involved collaborative efforts from the hospital management, the Ashanti Kingdom, corporate partners and the general public.
The project aims to refurbish Blocks A, B, C, and D of the hospital, modernise infrastructure, improve patient flow and efficiency, and restore safety and comfort for patients and staff..
Strategic collaborations
He said over the past 70 years, KATH, on its own and through strategic collaborations with world-class medical institutions, had pioneered and expanded specialist clinical services to countless number of Ghanaians and beyond.
“From managing complex emergencies to delivering life-saving maternal care, from innovative surgeries to community outreach drives, the hospital has truly impacted lives, restored health, fostered hope, and made impressive contributions to the nation’s development”, he stressed.
Equally significant, he stated, had been Kath's phenomenal contributions to the training and professional development of some of the most outstanding healthcare professionals in the country who are globally competitive.
He pledged the management’s commitment towards building the capacity of the staff in various emerging fields in medicine and upgrading of clinical facilities in the hospital to meet contemporary standards.
Symbol
The Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr Frank Amoakohene, who was the guest of honour, in a speech read on his behalf, said KATH continues to be a symbol of medical excellence, innovation and compassionate care serving the entire nation.
“As the second largest teaching hospital, the hospital has played a central role in specialised health care, medical education, research and most importantly, referral services”, he pointed out.
He added that the government remained committed to enhancing healthcare infrastructure, increasing access to quality services and supporting teaching hospitals to effectively fulfil their mandate.
Well-resourced
For his part, the Chairman of the KATH Board, Nana Professor Oheneba Boachie-Adjei Woahene II, who chaired the event, said the board was committed to ensuring that KATH remained a well-resourced, sustainable tertiary medical centre to deliver advanced medical education, among others.
“The anniversary, therefore, is not merely a celebration of longevity but a call to action, a call to strengthen governance, invest in our people and infrastructure and move KATH to meet the health care needs of the next generation” he said.
He urged the staff to celebrate the past with gratitude, confront the present with result and reposition the hospital with confidence for a future of greater impact.
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