News
KATH Psychiatric unit cries for space
Inadequate space at the Psychiatric unit of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) is having a negative effect on quality healthcare.
The unit has been seeing about 15,000 patients, every year, but has space for only 11 beds, something that is hampering quality care delivery.
Doctors and nurses are sometimes forced to sit in the corridors to provide services.
This, according to the Head of the Psychiatric unit, Dr Ruth Owusu-Antwi, “is too bad for patient-doctor confidentiality”.
The unit, established in 1981, has not seen any expansion over the years, and the continued increase in admissions and Out-Patients Department (OPD) cases are putting intense pressure on it.
Doctors, she said, were often compelled to discharge patients earlier than they should – before their full recovery.
In a chat with this Paper, Dr Owusu-Antwi indicated that prior to the outbreak of the coronavirus and subsequent imposition of the lockdown, daily reported cases were between 12 and 15, but this has shot up to about 20 and 25 cases.
Making a passionate appeal to individuals and organisations to support the facility to complete an expansion project it had started, Dr Owusu-Antwi noted the unit had been recording more mental cases after the lifting of the partial lockdown in the greater Kumasi and other parts of Ghana.
Follow up cases had also increased to about 120 from the pre-lockdown figures which ranged between 80 and 100 cases.
She made reference to a recent study conducted at the Accra, Pantang and KATH Psychiatry, which showed that the latter “has the highest relapse rate” and said this was attributable to the situation where patients were made to go home when they were not fully recovered, and said “we need an expansion for quality health delivery”.
Dr Owusu-Antwi gave some causes of psychiatric problems as post-partum (depression that occurs after childbirth), psychosis, depression, anxiety disorder and substance dependency disorders.
She stressed the determination of the unit to continue to provide quality professional psychiatric services to improve the mental health of the people despite the constraints and called for more clinical psychologists to be employed by the government to assist in handling the rising cases of mental illness.
From Kingsley E. Hope, Kumasi
News
President Mahama appoints Second Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana
President John Dramani Mahama has in accordance with Section 17 of the Bank of Ghana Act, 2002 (Act 612) as amended, appointed Mrs. Matilda Asante-Asiedu as the Second Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana.
This was revealed in a statement signed by Minister for Government Communications, Felix Kwakye-Ofosu.
Mrs. Asante-Asiedu is a Chartered Banker and seasoned corporate leader who has served as Group Head, Retail Banking at Access Bank Ghana PLC.
Mrs Asante-Asiedu holds an MBA in Marketing from GIMPA Business School (2021), an MA inJournalism Studies from Cardiff University (2005), and diplomas in Journalism (Ghana Institute of Journalism, 1997) and Politics and Public Affairs Reporting (International Institute of Journalism,Berlin, 2000).
A Chartered Executive Banker (CIB-Ghana, 2024).
She has undertaken Executive Programmes at Said Business School at Oxford University (2023), Wharton School (2015) and Marquette University’s Les Aspin Centre (2003), among others.
News
Prez Mahama is committed to open-up Afram Plains once and for all – Kwame Agbodza
The government is set to construct a 3.6km bridge over the River Afram in the Eastern Region, along with approximately 100km of road network.
This initiative, part of President Mahama’s “Big Push” infrastructure plan, aims to boost agricultural productivity, stimulate economic growth, and reduce poverty.
Some of the roads being considered included Mpraeso – Obomeng – Nkawkaw, Abooso – Mpaem, Mpaem – Kwahu – Adawso and Feyiase – Kwahu Tafo. The rest are, Ekye Amanfrom – Takoratwene, Takoratwene – Dome, Takoratwene – Donkorkrom and Donkorkrom – New Kyeiase.
Earlier today, the Minister for Roads and Highways, Mr.Kwame Agbodza, led a team of engineers to assess the proposed location of the bridge and some critical roads.
Speaking to the media at Donkorkrom after the assessment tour, Mr. Agbodza assured the people that President Mahama is “committed to opening up the Afram Plains once and for all.”
“The bridge when completed will connect Eastern, Ashanti and OTI regions in a very strategic way. It will open up the place for big time agriculture and investment in agro-processing,” he emphasized.
The project is expected enhance economic development, foster regional integration, generate income through agriculture and other sectors.
