KATH: Hospital for the poor; a new dawn of quality healthcare

Like many Ghanaians, I’ve dreaded going to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), popularly known as ‘Gee’ for anything health-related. This prejudice has stemmed from the unspoken assertion shared by many Ghanaians that the hospital gives close to little attention to patients and the assimilated ‘no bed’ for patients phrase.

I vowed to never step foot in the hospital for these reasons and rather opt for private medical care.

However, I have had to concede and reorient myself against my assertions after circumstances led me to spend two weeks at the facility as a caretaker of my mother, who has been admitted there.

Even though I didn’t openly express my initial contempt for the hospital when I was first informed of my mother’s admission, I find it prudent to render an unqualified apology to the new management for the excellence in human-centered service they are delivering now. I was wrong to have thought otherwise.

KATH, which was once noted for its believed but unsubstantiated claim of having ‘high mortality rate’ and ‘inflated medical costs" for patients, is now evidently the best cost-effective medical center in the Ashanti region, if not Ghana.

I have witnessed a marshal's will by the management of the facility in rooting out systemic corruption and medical negligence.

In what appears to be unconventional in the Ghanaian health administrative structure, I witnessed the Chief Executive Officer of the Facility, Prof. Otchere Addai-Mensah, making unannounced visits to various wards and treatment centers within the hospital to check on patients and reassure them of speedy recovery and quality service.

I observed a double-checking of patient receipts by Prof. Otchere Addai-Mensah to verify if patients had been billed correctly and not overly. Notably, I saw the CEO cross-checking with the laboratory technicians of the hospital to ascertain whether some lab referrals outside the facility could have been done within the facility and, if not, find appropriate ways to get faulty machines running.

I witnessed a hospital motivated by concern with the alleviation of suffering of its patients, whether on the monetary or emotional support level, and doctors energized to give out their outmost best.

Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital has now become the hospital of hope for the desolate. Patient care has been prioritized over monetary gains.

This practice is deserving of applause and high commendation.

Even though it is obvious at first glance that the hospital has been lovelorn due to years of neglect and low support from the powers that be, the new management has been able to put the little infrastructure at their disposal to good use, and the evidence of that is reflected in the healthcare delivery at the facility now.

I will urge state actors to turn their attention and policy direction to the Komfo Anokye Hospital to give them the needed support as they continue to exhibit quality yet affordable healthcare delivery in their hope to keep infirm Ghanaians and foreigners alive.

The new management under Prof. Otchere Addai-Mensah is doing a yeoman’s service, and like many other patients, we urge them on and not to relent in their quest.

Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), under Prof. Otchere Addai-Mensah, is undoubtedly becoming a hospital of choice for many. I will keep my testimonies alive for the many, and, like the patients receiving treatment at the facility, the good news and new dawn of KATH will continue to be trumpeted.

God bless Ghana, God bless Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, and God bless the new management of the facility.