The Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) has honoured 19 of its longest serving members of staff for their loyalty and contributions to the operations of the hospital.
In addition, 16 other category winners, independently assessed by a committee of their peers and selected on very competitive basis, were also awarded for distinguishing themselves in their various fields during the year 2021.
Out of the 16 category winners, three emerged as most outstanding, with Dr Moses Siaw Frimpong picking GHc 15,000.00 for the first position.
The anesthesiologist, who also won the best doctor of the year, took home a plasma television, plaque and certificate.
He was followed by Mr Emmanuel Kwasi Afriyie, at the Administration and Human Resource Unit, who walked away with GHc10, 000.00 cheque with plasma television, plaque and certificate.
The third place went to Shadrack Kwakye, best junior nurse, who also took home GHc5,000.00 cheque, television, certificate and plaque.
KATH’s Chief Executive special recognition award, dubbed “Innovation Award”, went to the Laboratory Services Directorate for setting up COVID-19 laboratory to improve health care.
It was capped with a cheque for GHc30,000.00 to be used to execute a project selected by the directorate and approved by management.
All the members of the Electronic Medical System (EMS) Implementation Committee were also specially recognised for their instrumental role in the successful execution of the hospital’s computerisation project.
The other long service beneficiaries, some of whom had worked between 30 to 45 years, took home double decker refrigerators, plasma televisions, certificates and plaques.
Speaking at the ceremony which coincided with the KATH’S annual thanksgiving service, Chief Executive, Dr Oheneba Owusu-Danso, mentioned that the 2021 award ceremony was unique with the introduction of the special “Innovative Award” for the first time.
He explained that such innovations should be able to reduce wastage, patient waiting time and mortality rate, among other considerations.
The Chief Executive indicated that though the country registered two waves of the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, KATH, unlike 2020, largely managed to maintain its normal services and registered some significant improvements across all areas of operations, especially the clinical indicators.
He mentioned the 138.50 million euro new Maternity and Children’s block which had seen significant progress as “it is now at the second floor of the seven-floor design and about 20 per cent civil work completed”.
Similarly, he said a Ghc2.2 million Assisted Reproductive Technology(ART) Centre funded through internally generated funds to provide ultra-specialist fertility services was at an advanced stage and expected to be commissioned in the second quarter of 2022.
It would be the first of its kind in any public health facility in the country.
According to Dr Owusu- Danso, the establishment of a Laparoscopy Surgery Centre being set up with the support of the Korean Foundation for International Health (KOFIH), to provide pinhole or minimally invasive surgical services to the public and training of health professionals was also progressing steadily and would be fully operational by March 2022.
FROM KINGSLEY E.HOPE, KUMASI
