The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), Prof. Othcere Addai-Mensah, has lauded the institution’s remarkable strides in healthcare delivery over the past year while outlining ambitious plans to further strengthen its position as a leading tertiary medical facility in Ghana.
Speaking at the 2024 End of Year Performance Review Conference, held at the hospital’s premises in Kumasi, Prof. Addai-Mensah emphasized that this year’s conference is particularly significant as it coincides with the 70th anniversary of KATH, which commenced formal operations in 1955.
He expressed gratitude to past and present staff members for their unwavering dedication and contributions to the hospital’s growth.
Performance Milestones
Under the theme “Seven Decades of Impacting Lives Through Specialist Clinical Services, Training, and Research: Celebrating the Past and Repositioning for the Future,” the conference provided an overview of the hospital’s achievements in 2024.
Prof. Addai-Mensah revealed that Specialist Outpatient Department (OPD) cases rose to 278,240, increasing daily attendance from 1,086 in 2023 to 1,117 last year. Combined with other OPD cases, daily hospital visits exceeded 1,300 patients. Emergency admissions also saw a 6.5% rise, reaching 27,996 cases.
Additionally, radiological services increased by 15.15%, laboratory tests conducted grew from 247,903 in 2023 to 264,826 in 2024, and surgical operations recorded a modest 2.5% increase. However, hospital admissions declined by 5.5%, while deliveries fell from 4,729 in 2023 to 3,922 in 2024.
Major Infrastructure and Equipment Investments
Prof. Addai-Mensah outlined significant infrastructure improvements made in the past year. The hospital’s Dialysis Unit was expanded from a two-machine facility to a 20-machine center, with renovations costing GHC 436,462.68. Additionally, the Asantehene’s Heal Komfo Anokye Project (HeKAP) has transformed Wards A3, A4, and A5, with the “Gee” blocks set to become one of the most modern inpatient facilities in Africa.
He acknowledged the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, and corporate sponsors like Justmoh Constructions Limited and Joshob Construction Limited for their contributions to the project, urging public support for its successful completion.
Other major projects in 2024 included:
- Establishment of an Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Unit (GHC 834,007.70)
- Renovation of the Main Theatre and Physiotherapy Centre (GHC 1.5 million and GHC 1.6 million, respectively)
- Procurement of two pickup trucks and a mini-bus for GHC 2.6 million
- Construction of a GHC 43 million Pharmacy Complex, expected to enhance pharmaceutical services
The hospital also invested heavily in critical medical equipment, including:
- Slit Lamp Biomicroscope – GHC 793,118.28 (Eye Clinic)
- Haemodialysis and CRRT Machines – GHC 2.74 million (Dialysis Unit)
- Phototherapy Machine – GHC 930,000.00 (MBU)
- Ventilators – GHC 700,000.00 (Main Theatre)
A Vision for the Future
With patient satisfaction rising from 80.7% in 2022 to 85.5% in 2024, KATH remains committed to repositioning itself as a center for sub-specialist and super-specialist care. Prof. Addai-Mensah outlined a patient-centered, technology-driven strategy, backed by resource mobilization and partnerships, to ensure the hospital continues to provide world-class healthcare.
As KATH marks its 70th anniversary in 2025, he called for national recognition and support to address the hospital’s remaining challenges and elevate its status as a premier medical facility in Ghana and beyond.
Call to Action
Prof. Addai-Mensah concluded by expressing gratitude to all stakeholders and partners, emphasizing that collaborative efforts are essential to making KATH a modern, world-class healthcare institution.
“Together, we can make KATH the modern tertiary healthcare provider we all want,” he affirmed.
Source : www.kumasimail.com
