Honorary Senior Specialists and Consultants with the School of Medicine and Dentistry (SMD) of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) have pledged their support for the renewed drive by the new Chief Executive Officer of the Komfo Anokye
Teaching Hospital (KATH), to improve the quality of clinical care at the facility.
They stated that they fully share Prof. Otchere Addai-Mensah’s passion for the transformation of the hospital into a true patient-centred hospital and would work with him in the implementation of the right patient-care policies and interventions to make his dream a reality.
The Hon. Consultants made the pledge at a meeting held in Kumasi at the instance of the new CEO, to enable him formally introduce himself to that cadre of staff and to solicit their advice and support for his transformational agenda for the hospital.
The clinical consultants in turn noted that though they were staff of KNUST, they mostly spend their time at the hospital teaching their medical students and delivering clinical care.
They commended the new CEO for his readiness to engage, consult and involve the group and other stakeholders in the administration of the hospital and submitted a list of measures that, if pursued, would allow them to give off their best to improve patient care, training
and research at the hospital.
They urged management of the hospital to cease differentiating between its staff and that of the KNUST staff working at the hospital, when it comes to the issue of capacity-building, staff motivation, appointments and recognition of hard work as they deliver the same specialist care and training expected from any other KATH employee.
Other challenges they raised for urgent resolution was the need to encourage consultants to stay around and also create space for the teaching and examinations of medical students. They called for a new paradigm shift in the relationship between the two institutions to ensure their mutual growth and development as there had been times that KNUST and its staff at the hospital had also prioritized their interests at the expense of KATH urging their members to set the right examples as leading clinicians at the hospital by striving to be present during their duty days to offer and supervise patient-care and training.
Prof. Addai-Mensah expressed his gratitude for the high-powered representation of the university including Prof. Christian Agyare, Provost of the College of Health Sciences and Prof. Daniel Ansong, Dean of SMD, KNUST at the meeting.
He explained that during the early days of his training at the hospital as a house officer and resident, there was no difference between doctors from KNUST and KATH as they both worked together inthe training of medical students and residents and providing care to
patients and pointed out that, “The recent divisions between the two groups have had adverse impact on the quality of patient care at the hospital.”
He said he was determined to make KATH the best medical facility in the country and expected KNUST doctors and that of KATH would be the same in the pursuance of his vision hoping that both cadres of medical professionals would be equally treated in terms of motivation,
appointments and general recognition for hard work in accordance with due process.
“I assumed this position very much aware that in spite of my passion and determination to make a difference, there is no way I can succeed without the active support and input of key stakeholders like our colleagues from the medical school,” he noted.
