Techiman (B/A), Aug. 3, GNA - The Right Reverend Thomas Asante Mensah, Catholic Bishop of Obuasi Diocese has said the church would continue to work towards the liberation of the people from slavery of poverty, sickness, ignorance and evil to ensure the dignity of human beings.

Bishop Asante-Mensah however, acknowledged that the church cannot pursue such course in isolation and called for a healthy interaction between the state, church and communities to achieve the noble objective.

The Bishop who is also the Episcopal Bishop in-charge of health of the Catholic Bishops' conference made this observation at the 50th anniversary of the Techiman Holy Family Hospital at Techiman over the weekend.

The anniversary, under the theme: "50th years of quality health-care delivery - the way forward" was attended by ministers of state, traditional rulers, Catholic missionaries from Holland, the clergy and people from all walks of life.

The Obuasi Bishop stated that the Catholic Church's provision of about 30 percent of all health services in the country was part of the Church's mission to healing and holiness in accordance with Christ's mandate to the church.

Rt.Rev Asante-Mensah expressed dissatisfaction at the delay of the state in re-imbursing mission hospitals of funds used on behalf of the state and cited 264 million cedis owed the Agroyesum Saint Martins Catholic Hospital to buttress his point.

He called on the government to promptly address problems in respect of re-imbursement and stuffing the needs in mission hospitals to give partnership in health-care delivery its true meaning.

In an address, the Brong-Ahafo Regional Minister, Nana Kwadwo Seinti, said the current focus of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government for the health sector under the poverty reduction strategy would be on disease control, maternal and reproductive health. In accordance with this, Nana Seinti said, the Brong-Ahafo Health Directorate has developed a vision of zero-tolerance for maternal deaths and strengthen child health and nutrition, clinical services and affordability as well as management of resources.

He entreated health professionals, especially nurses to treat patients with care and humility to give meaning to their training as people of passion.

Recounting the success of the hospital, Dr Ben Boateng, Medical Director of the hospital said the hospital has grown to become one of the busiest in the country due to the strategic location of Techiman as a commercial centre.

He appealed to the government to promptly mechanize salaries of staff of the hospital, especially houseman doctors to enable the personnel of the hospital to work effectively. Oseedeeye Akumfi-Ameyaw, Techimanhene, who chaired the function lauded the contribution of the hospital to the socio-economic development of Techiman and assured the hospital of the Techiman Traditional Council's support in their activities. Aug. 03 05