Ketu North Municipal Hospital Starts Operation

The Ketu North District Hospital located in Weta near Dzodze in the Volta Region has commenced operation in admission, treatment, and rehabilitation of patients, among other duties.

The 60-bed facility which was commissioned by the President in October 2020 was not operationalized due to the inability of required resources to enable the hospital to start providing quality health care.

Due to the benevolence gesture of some high profile personalities including the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for Sesi-Edem Company Limited, Mr. Gabriel Kwabla Kwamigah Atokple known in the political terrain as TANKO saw the readiness of the facility for full-scale healthcare delivery.

In November last year, he donated three brand new air conditioners, one brand new motorbike, one brand new refrigerator, microwave, boxes of surgical gloves, boxes of facial masks, street lights and an undisclosed amount of money.

At a brief ceremony to mark the operationalization of the hospital, the Medical Superintendent, Dr. Wilson Edem Sarbah indicated that the region subscribes to the better delivery on health, and was hoping to achieve optimum universal health coverage with the support of the health staff.

“Provision of quality and comprehensive healthcare services is a shared responsibility of all to achieve universal coverage. To provide accessible, clients-centered and quality healthcare services to meet expectation of our clients through teamwork, innovation and compassion” he said.

Expressing his appreciation to Mr. Tanko for his support in seeing the hospital starts operating, the medical superintendent indicated, “Togbe Chairman, permit me to also express our profound gratitude to one gentleman of the land in the person of Mr. Kwamega Atokple Gabriel Tanko, who donated three (3) air conditioners for our General and Pharmacy stores for the preservation of medications and non-drug consumables. Mr. Tanko also donated one motor bike, surgical gloves one fridge, microwave and face masks to the hospital.

“Togbe Chairman, the motor bike donated by Mr. Tanko is the only official form of transport for the hospital. Mr. Tanko, on behalf of the chiefs, the people of Ketu North Municipality and staff of the hospital we say “Ayikoo”.

He added, “Togbe Chairman, as part of measures to address water situation at the hospital, Hon. James Klutse Avedzi also financed the drilling of a borehole for the hospital about 1.5 kilometers away from the hospital. The project is far advance and we are hopeful to have sustainable source of water to support service delivery. On behalf of management and the entire staff, we say thank you Hon. Avedzi for your commitment and effort to ensure that the people of Ketu North Municipality have access to quality health care services.

“We also appreciate the support we have received from Hon. Anthony Avorgbedor, the Municipal Chief Executive, Ketu North Municipal Assembly for engaging Zoomlion company to fumigate the entire hospital to enable us start operation.

“My appreciation would not end without thanking Hon. David Dzikunu, the assemblyman of Weta Electoral area for making his motor bike available for running errands and a liaison between the hospital and the community.”

Dr. Wilson Edem Sarbah said the current staff of 50 including a medical doctor (himself), four midwives, and 16 nurses is woefully inadequate to provide the full complement of health services. He, therefore, pleaded with the Ghana Health Service to post more staff to the hospital.

In addition he explained the facility will provide OPD services like eye and dental services, public health services, antenatal care, and transition services adding that, “more services will be added as more staffs are posted.”

Dr. Wilson further appealed to the community members to make themselves available for quality healthcare delivery, rather than engaging in an unprofessional way of treatment in their various homes when sick.

“In line of the hospital vision and mission statements, we would like to appeal to the people of the Ketu North Municipality to see the hospital as their own hospital by patronizing the services of the hospital and support it in diverse ways in order to achieve the vision and mission statements of the hospital. The management of the hospital is ever ready to engage all stakeholders to achieve our vision and mission statements.”

The Paramount Chief of Weta Traditional Area, Togbuiga Akpo Ashiakpor VI in his capacity as Chairman for the occasion expressed appreciation to government and other stakeholders for making sure the hospital starts operation, and further called for strict maintenance culture to prolong the lifespan of equipment’s available at the facility.