NHEL
Health Cathlab Inauguration
Veep inaugurates one-million-dollar Catheterization Laboratory for Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital
By Godwill Arthur-Mensah, GNA
Accra, April 25, GNA – Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia Tuesday inaugurated a one-million-dollar Catheterization Laboratory for the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital to support accurate imaging for effective treatment of diseases, especially brain aneurysms.
A Catheterization Laboratory, commonly referred to as Cathlab, is an examination room in a hospital or clinic with diagnostic imaging equipment used to visualise the arteries of the heart and treat any stenosis or abnormality found.
The highly advanced laboratory was funded by the Bank of Ghana as part of its corporate social responsibility.
The medical facility is located at the Radiology Department of the Hospital with equipment such as a big detector, dyna CT and roadmap software as well as 3D workstation.
At the inauguration ceremony at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, Dr Bawumia lauded the Central Bank for funding the medical facility and expressed confidence that it would help improve healthcare delivery in the country’s premier hospital.
The Vice-President said Ghana was the only country in the West African sub-region offering advanced minimally invasive endovascular treatment for brain aneurysms.
The Cathlab is a valuable asset and a good addition to the overall healthcare infrastructure of Ghana.
He said investing in medical facilities would help retain skilled medical professionals, improve training of local doctors and other allied health personnel to enhance the quality of healthcare to the citizens.
The Vice President urged the Management and Staff of Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital to ensure proper maintenance of the medical facility to prolong its service life.
He, thus, entreated other private corporate organisations to partner with Ghana’s premier hospital and other health facilities to bring similar health advancements into fruition.
The Government, he said, over the past six years, had prioritised health with the construction of health facilities, among others, which would position Ghana as a medical tourism hub in the Sub-region.
The recruitment of more than 100,000 health personnel for the Ghana Health Service, restoration of nursing training allowances, resuscitation of the national ambulance service through the implementation of the one constituency, one ambulance policy, under which 307 well-equipped ambulances were procured, were examples of the priority government placed on health.
The Government implemented drone delivery of medical supplies to remote areas, thus, making Ghana the largest medical drone delivery service in the world, Vice President Bawumia said.
Dr Opoku Ware Ampomah, the Chief Executive Officer of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, said the hospital would hold its Centenary Anniversary in October, this year, to celebrate the excellent clinical services and leadership it had provided since its inception.
He commended the Government and the Central Bank, in particular, for funding the renovation of some health facilities in the hospital.
Being the national referral centre its internal processes must be strengthened to ensure excellent services to the citizens, he said.
Dr David Nkansah-Dwamena, the Board Chair, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, said due to non-availability of some cutting-edge medical equipment in the hospital it sometimes referred cases outside the country for management.
He, thus, appealed for state-of-the-art equipment to deliver on its mandate.
