Dr. Oheneba Owusu-Danso, the Chief Executive Officer of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) since July 2017, has retired from public service after five years in that capacity.
He is a Consultant, Administrator, Quality health care advocate and Technocrat, Plastic, Aesthetic and Hand Surgeon and Fellow of Ghana College of Surgeons (FGCS) and West African College of Surgeons (FWACS).
Celebrant to cut the birthday cake, while Board chairman Ambassador
Effah Appenteng (left) looks on.
Dr. Owusu-Danso’s tenure as the Chief Executive Officer was characterised by massive implementation of over 30 projects and initiatives, as a result of his conviction that he owed it a duty and personal obligation and divine injunction to leave a positive mark and to make a difference.
Some of the significant projects undertaken during his tenure, with the support of the immediate past and present Boards and the Government included, the reactivation of the maternity and Children’s Block project at a cost of 138.5 million Euros, construction of Paediatric
Intensive Care Unit (PICU), with the allocation of US$112,000 from the Internally Generated Fund (IGF), formalisation and approval of a GHC5 million contract for the construction of the Patient Relatives Hostel project at KATH.
Others are establishment of Reproductive Endocrinology and Fertility Unit and the construction of a GHc2 million Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Centre at KATH, Re-introduction of long service and best staff awards and adoption of KATH Staff Retirees policy,
Reactivation and substantial completion of the Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine Expansion project work which stalled for over six years; the completion of construction works on a four-storey 47-flathouse officers block at the cost of GHc4.9 million; Reconstruction and
asphalting of hospital roads and car parks under the government’s Kumasi Road rehabilitation project, among others.
The rest are the establishment of the 24-Hour Pharmacy, a one-stop-shop for medicines and non-medicine items for patients, which does an average of GHC200,000.00 in weekly sales; Improved drug availability from less than 50 per cent to 93 per cent currently for general medicines and 95% percent for emergency and acute care medicines.
The hospital also implemented the “Electronic Medical Record System (EMRS) project of the Ministry of Health (MOH) to help computerize the clinical operations of the hospital.
In fact, a personal intervention convinced the Minister to prioritise KATH as part of the pilot
phase (the second after the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital and parts of the Central region) ahead of the national rollout which is currently ongoing.
The CEO oversaw the process leading to KATH being the first Teaching Hospital in Ghana to be accredited by the Health Facilities Regulatory Agency (HeFRA), coming up tops with the record highest score of 84%and the commencement of construction works on the National Cleft Surgery Centre, thanks to a Two-Million United States Dollar (USD) funding secured from Smile Train International through the Ghana Cleft Foundation, as well as the establishment of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility Unit and the construction of a GHc2 million Assisted
Reproductive Technology (ART) Centre at KATH, which is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
A National Laparoscopic Surgery and Training Centre, in collaboration with the Korean Foundation for International Health (KOFIH), towards the provision of safer laparoscopic surgeries at the hospital and anew Dialysis Centre at the Accident and Emergency Centre close to the Special Ward to ensure the provision of convenient dialysis service to our VIP and ICU patients were established, besides the Establishment of the KATH Endowment Fund to improve on our resource mobilisation efforts.
The health facility, under Dr. Owusu-Danso’s administration made huge investment through the use of IGF, totaling over GHc35 million.
Some of the key equipment included; OPG with Cephalometric X-Ray (GH¢192,888.00), Surgical Implants (GH¢ 1,413,425.00), Steam Steriliser machine for Laundry Unit (GHC 212,500.00), UPS System for C.T. machine (GHC148,030.00), Electric dryer for laundry (GHC135,500.00), Two Oxygen Plants with various accessories(GH¢6, 500,000.00), Surge protector for the Oxygen Plants (GHC717,000.00), Electro Convulsive Therapy (ECT) machine (GHC246,665.00), Operating Lamps (GHC227,284.00), Two Operating Theater Table (GHC167,660.00), Induction Casting Machine (GHC192,000.00), a 128 slice Siemens C.T. Scan (GHC2,336,555.00), Two C-Arms (GHc852,840.00) and Endoscopic suite for Medicine Directorate(200,000.00 Euros) among others.
At his retirement reception put together by the Board of Directors and management of the hospital in his honour last week, Tuesday, Dr. Owusu-Danso thanked the President, Nana Akufo-Addo, for the opportunity to serve his country and expressed appreciation for the good counsel
of the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II and the support of the Ashanti Regional Minister and the Minister of Health, the chairman and members of the immediate past and present Board, management team members and other partners, as well as members of my immediate family
who assisted in diverse ways.
He called for support of the board, management and staff for his successor to ensure effective healthcare delivery.
The historic event, which coincided with his 63rd birthday, was graced by personalities from all walks of life.
These included; Mrs. Emelia Botchwey, Ashanti Regional Co-ordinating Director, Ambassador Nana Effa Appenteng, chairman of the Board of directors of KATH and Board members, Chief Executives of Teaching hospitals in Ghana, Mr. Kofi Jumah, CEO of GIHOC, Mr. Osei Kwame Prempeh, MD for GOIL and former deputy Attorney-General, heads and members of directorate and unit management, team members, friends, members of the business community and immediate and extended family, led by his 96-year-old mother, Madam Adwoa Serwaa.
