Sixteen staff of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) have been sanctioned for various breaches of the hospital’s disciplinary codes, including extortion and medical negligence.

While one staff has been dismissed, the remaining 15 have been suspended without salaries as management probes others to instill discipline at the hospital.

The move is part of efforts and commitment to improve healthcare delivery in the Ashanti region and beyond.

Under its 2023 theme “Driving a customer-centric agenda for healthcare delivery, the role of management, staff and stakeholders”, the management of KATH implemented practical measures to improve patient’s experience at the hospital.

The hospital conducted a combination of interventions, including improved staff output and enforcement of discipline which saw the dismissal of some staff.

Chief Executive Officer of KATH, Professor Otchere Addai-Mensah, was speaking at the hospital’s mid-year review meeting.

“Management over the period continued enhanced supervision of staff and clinical services with the maintenance of physical presence at all the operational areas. The sanctions have resulted in better healthcare delivery to patients during the period under review,” he said.

It however improved the staff motivation and welfare packages including an increase in medical packages for each staff and their families by 25 per cent.

“All outstanding promotions were cleared for qualified staff while 13th-month allowances owed to members of the Health Services Workers Union were paid. A payment plan has also been agreed with the unions whose members are entitled to an allowance to clear the 2022 one amounting to GH₵5.2 million by the end of the year,” Prof. Addai-Mensah said.

According to management, the hospital’s infrastructur has received a major facelift in recent months as they work to complete other stalled and ongoing projects.

“Key projects such as the Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) centre, Patients Relative Hostel, expansion and refurbishment of Dialysis Centre and comprehensive renovation and modernization of the main hospital theatre at a cost of GH₵1.5 million, will engage the attention of the management for the rest of the year,” he said.

A recent study conducted on vehicular congestion at the hospital revealed that 64 per cent of cars used the hospital’s precinct as a thoroughfare.

Management says measures have been instituted to curtail the situation which impedes the transportation of critically-ill patients into the hospital.

“Under the upcoming exercise, all motorists with the exception of staff members and emergency vehicles will be expected to exit from the same gate through which they entered the hospital,” Prof. Addai-Mensah noted.

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Meanwhile, management is expecting to complete the first phase of renovation works of the old in-patient facilities of the hospital as the Asantehene leads the charge to raise USD10 million for the project.