Kumasi, Nov 24, GNA - The Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi has begun offering specialized training for its Health Care Assistants (HCAs) in order to add value to their services. The initiative is part of a human resource development strategy in tandem with the hospital's vision of developing into a centre of excellence by the year 2008.

Dr Anthony Nsiah-Asare, Chief Executive of KATH, announced this at a ceremony where certificates were presented to 330 HCAs who had been trained by the hospital since 2002.

The presentation marks the formal recognition of the HCAs as an integral part of the health care delivery system of the hospital. Dr Nsiah-Asare said 19 HCAs had been selected and trained as phlebotomist by the Transfusion Medicine Unit to assist the laboratories.

He said the hospital management had also given approval for the training of HCAs in physiotherapy, basic theatre practices and others. Dr Nsiah-Asare said such specialized training would enable the hospital to maximize the output of its staff and ensure better services to the public.

He said the profile of HCAs had risen significantly in recent times as awareness had grown of their integral role in the delivery of quality health care services in society.

The Chief Executive said the management of the hospital had also made it a policy to support all HCAs who were able to improve upon their academic qualifications to gain admissions into health training schools. He advised the HCAs to take advantage of the opportunities that existed in the health sector to upgrade themselves.