The Fourth ANASE International Conference on the use of the latest medical equipment in the diagnosis and treatment of urological diseases, opened at the Koforidua Regional Hospital on Monday.

The conference brings together a team of 20 medical personnel made up of urologists, nurses and medical engineers from The Netherlands.

They will join their Ghanaian counterparts to provide urological services to people in the Eastern Region in memory of the late Professor John K. M. Quartey who died in a motor accident after a urological outreach programme in Sunyani five years ago.

The five-day conference is to provide access to complicated urological pathologies, provide the platform for Ghanaian experts and their Netherlands counterparts to transfer knowledge in the latest technologies and know-how on vaginal colporrhaphy repair, management of prostate cancer and bladder stones among other urological diseases.

Opening the conference, the Deputy Regional Director of Health Services in-charge of Clinical Care, Dr Addo Larbi, called on the participants to help demystify the notion that urology is a no go area for many medical students.

He said urology was not a challenge for only elderly men but affects people of all ages both male and females.

Dr Addo-Larbi entreated the management of the Koforidua Regional Hospital to ensure that all health personnel of the hospital get the opportunity to participate in the seminars and services that would be conducted during the conference to know more about the management and treatment of urological cases at the hospital.

Dr Frank Yirenkyi, Urologist of the Regional Hospital, said the medical facility, which is the regional referral point lacks the equipment to perform endo-urological cases and diagnostic equipment.

He said there are no drugs for the treatment of complex and complicated cases as well as shortages of trained personnel.

Some patients also failed to return for the review of their cases after surgery.

Dr Yirenkyi said there are inadequate physiotherapy services for patients after surgery.

Surgeries to be performed during the conference would include the repair of Vesicovaginal and recto–virginal fistulas, bladder stone extraction; and 15 to 20 surgeries are expected to be performed each day.

The Medical Director of the Regional Hospital, Dr Daniel Asare said the five-day conference would combine out-patient services, lectures, surgical sessions, medical tourism and peer review.

The conference would have the opportunity to discuss the best and evidence based practices in modern urology.

On behalf of the management of the hospital and the Ghana Health Service, Dr Asare expressed his appreciation to the medical team led by Dr G. De-Wall, of Anase Foundation and Astellas Pharmaceuticals for sponsoring the conference.

Four other Ghanaian urologists from the Ashanti, Central, Brong Ahafo and the Northern Regions are participating in the conference.**