Health News of Sunday, 19 April 2020

Source: GNA

Coronavirus: Government commended for resourcing health institutions

CEO of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Dr. Oheneba Owusu-Danso CEO of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Dr. Oheneba Owusu-Danso

Dr Oheneba Owusu-Danso, Chief Executive of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi, has commended the government for the aggressive manner it was resourcing health institutions to manage the outbreak of coronavirus in the country.

He said the hospital received significant quantities of Personal Protection Equipment (PPEs) and other logistics from the government that enabled medical staff to effectively handle all the COVID-19 cases registered at the hospital.

Dr. Owusu-Danso stated this when the executives of the Ashanti Regional branch of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) donated quantities of PPEs on behalf of the flag-bearer, Mr John Dramani Mahama to the hospital.
The items included; 50 sets of overall suits and 50 pairs of wellington boots.

They were presented on behalf of former President Mahama by Mr Augustus Andrews and Mr Kwame Zu, Ashanti Regional Chairman and Secretary of the party respectively and other leaders.

Dr. Owusu-Danso pointed out that notwithstanding the impressive efforts by the government to resource hospitals in the country to manage COVID-19 cases, it was important that other state actors, identifiable groups and individuals also contributed their quota to the national efforts at containing and controlling the pandemic.

“The management of this pandemic is resource-intensive because virtually all the PPEs are single-use items, which means that they must be disposed-off after attending to each patient, whilst other life support logistics are also expensive hence the need for all to support the government to shoulder the cost of managing this outbreak”, he explained.

Dr. Owusu-Danso, commended the flag-bearer of the NDC for the donation and urged other groups and individuals to continue to assist the hospital and other health institutions to help sustain their capacity to handle COVID-19 cases in the country.



He also urged the public to comply fully with all the precautionary measures outlined to stop the spread of the pandemic in the country by making regular washing of hands with soap under running water, refraining from handshakes and observing social distancing protocols a habit.

The Regional Chairman, Mr. Andrews commended staff of KATH for the yeoman’s job they were doing in the management of COVID-19 cases brought to the hospital and hoped that the donation would help them to continue to safely offer the needed services to the public.

“The staff and health workers of this hospital should be thanked for their bravery, sacrifices and dedication to the nation”, emphasized.