By Love Wilhelmina Abanonave
Administrator of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, Adjoa Obuobia Darko-Opoku, has announced the construction of three state-of-the-art cardiology centres and the distribution of critical medical equipment to hospitals across the country as part of efforts to expand specialist healthcare services.
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series on Wednesday, Ms Darko-Opoku said the centres are being developed at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital and Tamale Teaching Hospital in partnership with the Ministry of Health.
“One of our major achievements has been the construction of three state-of-the-art cardiology centres at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital and Tamale Teaching Hospital,” she said.
According to her, the facilities are expected to significantly expand Ghana’s capacity for cardiology and vascular interventions. Each centre will include catheterisation laboratories, hybrid theatres, recovery wards, intensive care units, consulting rooms, dedicated oxygen systems, on-site pharmacies and diagnostic laboratories.
The infrastructure is intended to reduce the need for patients to travel abroad for advanced cardiac and vascular procedures and to decentralise specialist services beyond Accra and Kumasi.
The Ghana Medical Trust Fund has also overseen the distribution of dialysis machines, ICU beds and patient monitors to Sunyani Teaching Hospital, Holy Family Hospital and the Volta Regional Hospital.
Ms Darko-Opoku explained that the equipment was donated by medical equipment suppliers and later distributed by the Fund to facilities with the greatest need.
“We have made sure that these resources go to facilities that can put them to immediate use in serving patients,” she said.
On specialist training, the Fund has entered into partnerships with the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons to expand specialist training centres and decentralise postgraduate medical education across the country.
Similar agreements have been signed with the Ghana College of Nurses and Midwives and the Ghana College of Pharmacists. Under the initiative, the Fund is supporting the training of 100 specialist pharmacists and 100 nurse specialists in oncology, nephrology, cardiology, endocrinology and neurology.
The programme is aimed at addressing shortages in specialist healthcare personnel and improving access to subspecialty care nationwide.
The Ghana Medical Trust Fund was established to mobilise resources for targeted interventions in specialist health services and to support the government’s efforts to improve access to quality healthcare across Ghana.
