Asantehene Supports Release of Military Land for KATH Expansion Projects
The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has reaffirmed his endorsement of releasing the military land adjacent to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) to facilitate the hospital’s expansion initiatives. Recognizing KATH’s crucial role in the nation’s healthcare system as the sole tertiary hospital in the region, Otumfuo emphasized the importance of providing the necessary support to enable the facility to fulfill its care delivery mandate effectively.
During a courtesy visit by a delegation from KATH’s Board, led by Ambassador Nana Effah-Apenteng, Chairman of the Board and Omanhene of Bompata Traditional Council, as well as Board Chairman of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), the Asantehene expressed his view on the matter. The delegation also took the opportunity to introduce the hospital’s new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Prof. Otchere Addai-Mensah, who assumed office on December 1, 2022.
Otumfuo revealed that he had received a report from the committee he established regarding the release of the military land adjoining KATH. He expressed his belief that the cost of relocating the remaining facilities on the land to the current Military base at Nyankerenyiase should not be borne by the hospital. As a result, he has initiated discussions with the President and other stakeholders, urging the government to find the necessary funding for the complete relocation of the Military to their Nyankyereniase base. This would pave the way for the prompt release of the land to KATH for its expansion projects.
In addition to endorsing the land release, the Asantehene encouraged the hospital’s management to explore ways to enhance its equipment stock, enabling it to offer a comprehensive range of specialist clinical services to the public. Recognizing KATH as a center of last hope for the people in its large catchment area, Otumfuo expressed his readiness to advocate for the hospital in acquiring critically needed equipment for the delivery of comprehensive specialist care.
The Asantehene commended the performance of the new CEO, Prof. Addai-Mensah, and urged him to continue his commendable work. In turn, Prof. Addai-Mensah expressed gratitude to the Asantehene for his support and wise counsel since assuming his role. With the backing of the board and management, he has implemented various measures to improve staff discipline, enhance the quality of specialist clinical care, and upgrade the hospital’s facilities. These include instituting a Directors’ weekend and holiday duty roster to ensure executive presence, enforcing timely commencement of clinical services, and introducing mobile money and point-of-sale payment options for hospital bills, among others.
Furthermore, Prof. Addai-Mensah shared that he has successfully lobbied friends and companies to support the hospital’s ongoing beautification exercise, resulting in major facelifts for facilities such as the Doctors’ Flats, Laundry Unit, and Ear, Nose, and Throat blocks, which were previously in poor condition. He also disclosed plans for a comprehensive renovation of the old “GEE” blocks, which were constructed in 1955, as part of the Asantehene’s 25th-anniversary legacy project, to be executed next year. Additionally, Prof. Addai-Mensah appealed to the Asantehene to utilize his influence in restarting stalled projects at the hospital, including the Maternity and Children’s block funded by the government, and the Sickle Cell and Blood Centre block supported by the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation.
The delegation from KATH’s Board included Lawyer Maxwell Opoku-Agyemang, Pharm. Charles Dontoh, and Prof.
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