Kumasi, Oct 24, GNA - Dr Anthony Nsiah-Asare, Chief Executive of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), on Monday appealed to new doctors to be patriotic and stay in the country.

He said even though Ghana could not compete with advanced countries in terms of salary levels for health professionals, the government was doing everything possible to make doctors and other health personnel feel comfortable.

Dr Nsiah-Asare made the appeal at an orientation workshop for house officers and pharmacists at KATH in Kumasi. The workshop was to equip the new doctors and pharmacists with the code of ethics of the hospital, its structures and procedures. Dr Nsiah-Asare said opportunities now existed for new doctors to specialize and upgrade their professional career in Ghana after short periods of practice and advised them to take advantage of such opportunities instead of going to Europe and US to seek greener pastures.

He said the new system of salaries, which the government was adopting to replace the Additional Duty Hour Allowance (ADHA), would ensure that doctors were paid well while those who did actual extra duties would be compensated.

Dr Nsiah-Asare said KATH has instituted pension schemes to help its workers on retirement while a parcel of land had been acquired to enable interested workers to put up their own houses.

He said health care delivery was now an essential service under the new labour law and advised doctors to be careful on strike actions. Dr Nsiah-Asare said KATH had embarked on a vision that puts the patient at the centre of its activities.

''The hospital is on course to become a centre of excellence,'' he said.