The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has declared his readiness to raise US$10million toward a comprehensive renovation of the 70-year-old in-patient wards at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH).
He said the aging blocks which house the main wards of the hospital have never been renovated since their construction in 1955, and this is adversely impacting on the quality of in-patient care; hence his decision to lead the drive for their refurbishment.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II stated this when the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the hospital, Prof. Otchere Addai- Mensah, led executives and members of the ‘Heal Komfo Anokye Project’ team to present the Asantehene with a technical and financial proposal developed to guide comprehensive renovation of the dilapidated blocks.
The team is a volunteer group made up of an architect, a real estate developer, marketing and brands communication specialists among other experts who were commissioned by the KATH CEO to develop a master-plan for the project. Renovation of the blocks – popularly referred to as ‘Blocks A, B, C and D’ – is expected to be executed as part of the legacy projects marking the 25th anniversary celebration of the Asantehene’s enstoolment next year.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II described KATH as a strategic institution that occupies a unique position in the health care delivery system of the country, as well as the social, cultural and historical heritage of the Asante kingdom.
“For a hospital that has been the sole provider of tertiary health care in this region and beyond for decades – and also named after the founding Chief Priest of the Asanteman, it would be unacceptable to allow it to fall into a state of disrepair; hence my readiness to lead the crusade for its restoration,” the Otumfuo explained.
Otumfuo Osei-Tutu II mentioned plans to formally launch the fund-raising campaign and ensure the mobilisation of needed resources to renovate and modernise the old blocks; so that they can better serve patients from the region and the 11 other hospitals that KATH receives referrals from.
He commended the CEO and members of the ‘Heal Komfo Anokye Project’ team for their commitment to the project, and urged the public and corporate institutions to support the fund- raising drive when it is launched to ensure the project’s successful execution.
The Asantehene appointed Nana Prof. Oheneba Boachie-Adjei Woahene II, Hiahene and founder of Foundation of Orthopaedics and Complex Spine (FOCOS) – who also happens to the Board Chairman of Otumfuo Charity Foundation, as his representative on the project team.
Prof. Addai-Mensah pointed out that when he assumed office in December of last year, he was shocked by the extent of deterioration that the blocks have undergone after close to 70 years of intensive use without any comprehensive renovation.
“Even though routine repairs have been done over the years, they were not enough to address the enormous wear and tear that the blocks have undergone over the past seven decades; hence the need for comprehensive renovation,” he appealed.
Prof. Addai-Mensah said he was therefore overjoyed when the Asantehene pledged to initiate plans for giving the hospital a much-needed facelift – stressing that the board, management, staff and patients of the hospital owe the Asantehene a debt of gratitude for his timely intervention.
Mr. Samuel Adu-Boakye, Chairman of the ‘Heal Komfo Anokye Project’ team expressed gratitude to the Asantehene for his commitment to the project’s execution.
He added that the team has developed a comprehensive marketing and communication strategy to facilitate raising the needed funds from well-meaning members of the public and corporate Ghana.
“If we can get just one million Ghanaians to donate 10 United States dollars each, US$10m can be raised in no time to ensure the timely execution of this project – for the benefit of the entire people of Ghana, given the wide catchment area of the hospital,” he appealed.
Arc. Kojo Darko-Asante, lead architect for the team, said the project proposal was meticulously put together by a team of technical and engineering experts after a painstaking assessment of the wards.
He said the project will transform wards at the hospital into a world-class patient-friendly facility when successfully executed.
