The Presbyterian Hospital, Agogo, recorded zero maternal deaths in 2023 for the first time in over 50 years with safe care interventions; becoming the first secondary-level hospital in Ghana to achieve such a feat.

This year, the institution is hoping to enforce its zero mortality feat, whilst targeting zero neonatal mortality and zero infant mortality.

General Manager, Rev. Ezekiel Amadu Daribi, indicated the successes in 2023 highlight strides made to meet the highest healthcare standards.

“Our target is not to remain there but to improve and meet all standards and satisfy clients as much as possible in our facilities. We have two paediatricians and neonatal care in the facility has improved critically,” he said.

The hospital, at its annual performance review meeting, emphasized its dedication to providing essential care and support to numerous underserviced peripheral health facilities, through the provision of advanced medical services to underprivileged users.

These peripheral health facilities, operating in poor and remote areas, often lack facilities and equipment for holistic healthcare delivery.

The Presbyterian Hospital, Agogo, is one of the leading health facilities under the Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG).

As the only referral facility in the Asante Akim area, the hospital covers five adjoining districts in the enclave.

The Agogo Presby Hospital, renowned for being second to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in terms of performance outputs in the Ashanti Region, also receives patients from all over Ghana and neighbouring Togo, Cote d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso for ophthalmological care.

In 2023, the 350-bed hospital recorded a successful year with improved services for its clients.

The year saw an expansion of its Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) to accommodate 10 more beds, a renovation of two private rooms at the Accident and Emergency Unit and the completion of the construction of a new building to house the Medical Administrator, a Specialist and the Internal Auditor.

At the 2023 performance review meeting, managers of the hospital highlighted the importance of its peripheral health facilities in patient care and operational efficiency.

According to Rev. Ezekiel Amadu Daribi, effective partnerships and the support of stakeholders have accounted for the Hospital’s improvements in healthcare provision.

“Effective collaborations and partnerships have contributed to the success of the facility for the year under review. We duly acknowledge the Christian Health Association (CHAG), pharmacies, Med4All, staff and stakeholders,” he said.

The General Manager however decried inadequate facilities hindering holistic health care delivery at the hospital.

“The 93-year-old facility has an infrastructure deficit and requires a lot of maintenance and work. We need more facilities to have more diagnosis services. We are certain that with interventions, we will overcome challenges and get upgraded to the tertiary level,” he said.

The annual performance review and refresher management training for managers was themed: “Strengthening and Sustaining the PHS Health Facilities: The Role of Managers”.

The event assembled management stakeholders of Agogo Presby Hospital and adjourning peripheral health centres to celebrate successes chalked in the previous year, and deliberated on means of improving sustained quality care.

A former General Manager of the Hospital, Thomas Mensah, indicated that institutional dynamics make it critical for the health facility to strategize for the best.

He admonished management and staff to be committed to quality service delivery.

“The review process is positioning an institution to attain the best performance results at all times to survive in a competitive environment. It will help this institution to enhance its status and be resilient.

“Commitment of management and staff are important. It implies a sense of ownership of the sustainable process. Everybody should see himself as critical to the improvement and sustainability of the institution,” he said.

The hospital is projecting increasing its service output from 125,918 OPD attendance to 126,108 OPD attendance.

The Hospital is also hoping to introduce CT Scan services, establish a dedicated clinic for cardiovascular accidents, expand its General and Medical Stores, renovate its OPD to an ultramodern one, create a private ward wing and construct accommodation units for staff of the facility.