106 benefits from free surgeries under health partnership

One hundred and six persons have undergone surgeries and treatment free of charge at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital (CCTH) under a Czech Republic/CCTH partnership arrangement.

The collaboration is under the Czech Republic’s medical humanitarian programme, MEDEVAC, which seeks to collaborate with institutions in providing quality specialized healthcare services for the disadvantaged.

In all, 642 persons with various medical conditions were screened out of which 106 complex surgeries were performed and treatment offered for others.

The Czech Republic MEDEVAC and CCTH had a partnership in 2020 to collaborate in the provision of complicated plastics and orthopedic surgeries free of charge to citizens in the region and beyond who otherwise are unable to afford the cost such surgeries.

Briefing the first deputy Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, Vit Rakusan during a visit to the facility last Monday, the Chief Executive Officer of the CCTH, Dr Eric Ngyedu said Ghana and the Czech Republic had a long standing mutually beneficial relationship dating back to the period before Ghana attained independence.

He said the collaboration with MEDEVAC in 2020 had so far been in the areas of their combined efforts to provide orthopedic and plastic reconstructive surgeries free of charge to patients who could not afford.

Payments received 

According to Dr Ngyedu, the hospital had so far received in tranches amounts totaling US$25,927.00 and GH¢479, 556.00 from MEDEVAC as its contribution towards the payment of implants, transplants and surgeries for the non-insured patients, as well as other services not covered by the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

He assured the visiting team including surgeons and the people of Czech Republic of the hospital’s continuous dedication towards the programme for the mutual benefit of the two nations.

Call for support 

Dr Ngyedu, while commending the government of Ghana for some capital-intensive projects and equipment provided the hospital recently, observed that the hospital had some challenges in the area of equipment such as C-Arm, which is an advanced medical imaging device, Diathermy machines and others and called for support from well-meaning institutions.

He said the board and management of the hospital would continue to work assiduously to bridge those gaps to ensure sustainability of that partnership.

Expansion 

He requested for the expansion of the programme to cover other specialist areas to help reach wider members of their catchment area who were underprivileged and challenged with various health issues.

He stated that the hospital’s board and management were committed to making significant improvement towards their vision of becoming a world class leader in tertiary health services, medical education and research, adding he was hopeful that with the support of well-meaning persons and organizations, they would achieve this vision.

Vit Rakusan 

Mr. Rukusan said the medical partnership aimed to support the hospital and country as a whole to provide high quality specialized health care services, particularly for hard-to-reach populace.

He said he was optimistic that the Czech Republic would find more collaborations in other areas and also business opportunities in Ghana for the mutual benefits of both countries.

Partnership commendable

In a speech read on her behalf by the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Kommenda Edina Eguafo Abrem, Ebo Appiah, the Central Regional Minister, Justina Marigold Assan said the several years of investment by the state and partners such as MEDEVAC of the Czech Republic in the health sector actually provided substantial improvements, both in service outputs and improved health status of the population.

She added that the government in 2022 completed a number of ongoing projects, constructed several Community Health-Based Planning Services (CHPS) compounds, expanded health promotion programmes, scaled up diseases prevention strategies and improved access to curative and emergency service amongst others in the region.

Projects

She noted that the CCTH had been a beneficiary of a number of such projects including the recently constructed infectious disease centre, ongoing expansion of the Accident and Emergency Unit and renovation of the COVID 19 treatment centre among others.

Mrs Assan commended the board, management and staff of the hospital for working tirelessly to provide health care services at various levels to the people of Cape Coast and beyond.

Pro-poor services laudable 

She expressed excitement with the number of pro- poor health service initiatives such as providing free eye, orthopedics, plastic surgery, cleft lip and Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) surgeries offered by the hospital.

She added that the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) would continue to support the hospital in the improvement of its work, the security of staff and property of the hospital.

She encouraged management and staff to continue in the professional discharge of their duties and develop receptive attitudes towards all people who visit the facility.