KATH Blows GHC12,000 Daily on Oxygen

The Financial challenges confronting the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi has reached unbearable heights as the hospital is compelled to spend an amount of GH 12,000 worth each day to buy oxygen to cater for patients.

KATH lacks the requisite financial muscles to shoulder the cost and requires the urgent intervention of state authorities.

This cash-intensive policy had been adopted by the management KATH because the hospital’s obsolete Oxygen Plant cannot produce the required oxygen.

“Currently, the hospital is incurring a cost of GH 12,000 daily in procuring oxygen from private sources”, KATH CEO, Dr. Oheneba Owusu-Danso, confirmed.

Expressing gross worry over the issue, he added “the obsolete oxygen plant at KATH can only produce about 10 percent of the needed consumption”.

He was speaking during the opening of the 2017 Mid-Year Performance Review Workshop of the hospital. The two-day event started on Tuesday.

It was graced by KATHs newly inaugurated board, which is chaired by the Paramount Chief of Bompata, Nana Effah Apenten and other board members.

Dr. Owusu-Danso stated that the hospital is currently faced with a lot of problems, which needs immediate attention and proper solution.

According to him, the challenges at KATH include ageing and obsolete equipment and infrastructure “including the obsolete oxygen plant”.

Inadequate space and facilities, high and rising operational cost and low staff morale, the KATH boss disclosed, as some of the pressing challenges.

Dr Owusu-Danso said stalled projects such as 42-year-old Maternity and Children’s Block and 20-year old office complex, are also a great worry.

He said it is his vision to introduce new policies to help make KATH the preferred choice for patients in the country and beyond, calling for support from all.

The KATH CEO said re-training of KATH staff and instituting measures to boost the morale of workers, among others, would be implemented by his administration.

Dr Owusu-Danso admonished KATH staffs to be nice to patients all the time so that patients would feel comfortable to visit KATH for treatment.

Source: Kwadwo Essel