Accra, July 27, GNA - The Management of Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra has launched a five-year strategic plan (2005 - 2009) to promote high levels of efficiency and effectiveness in the management of the Hospital.

The plan is to continuously improve the quality of services and enhance client and patient satisfaction in a most cost-effective manner to engender high quality health care delivery, training, research and advocacy.

It would also improve technical and managerial skills, knowledge, competencies and capabilities of all staff, improve staff motivation, morale, commitment and satisfaction. The strategic plan would also enhance the Hospital's ability to attract and retain adequate and competent staff and ensure more efficient use of the unique competencies and capabilities of the medical and other allied personnel.

Under the plan, the Management would ensure positive and mutually beneficial relations with external collaborators; donors; nongovernmental organisations (NGOs); other organisations and individuals and improve relations with the public and the immediate community to enhance the public image of the Hospital. The plan was launched when President John Agyekum Kufuor inaugurated three projects estimated at about 15.3 billion cedis at the Hospital in Accra.

The first is a 60-room Administration Block funded from the Hospital's internally generated funds at a cost of about 8.8 billion cedis on which work began in September 2003 and was completed this year. The second is the rehabilitation and equipping of the Gynaecology Theatre, which began in 2003 and was completed this year at a cost of about 5.1 billion cedis with assistance from the Government. The third project is the Hearing Assessment Centre built from the Hospital's internally generated funds at a cost of 1.4 billion cedis with support from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that provided equipment and training at a cost of 100,000 dollars. President Kufuor, with the assistance of Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, Chief Executive of the Hospital, also laid a block for work to commence on the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Centre, the first of its kind in West Africa being financed by the Government at a cost of 27.5 billion cedis from the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Funds.

Originally known as the Gold Coast Hospital, Korle-Bu, it was inaugurated by Governor Gordon Guggisberg on October 9, 1923 with the vision to become the leading health facility in the then Gold Coast and a first class multi-disciplinary health institution engaged in the provision of quality medical care, health training and research. The Hospital has grown from 192 beds with a staff strength of 60 in 1923 to a 1,600-bed facility and staff strength of 3,000. Currently there are 17 clinical departments and an average daily attendance of 1,500 and admissions of 150 patients.