The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has joined the call for the retooling of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH).

This follows a protest by some doctors in the Oncology Department on Monday, June 24, who abandoned their consulting rooms to demand the restoration of the Linear Accelerator System (LINAC) machine, essential for cancer treatment.

The LINAC has been malfunctioning since October 2023, severely affecting the diagnosis and treatment of cancer cases.

But on Wednesday, June 26, the doctors called off their strike after receiving assurances that their concerns would be addressed.

Read also: Doctors at KATH Oncology Department suspend strike

Addressing the Health Minister, the Asantehene expressed dismay at the lack of essential equipment for healthcare delivery at the hospital.

He said that his checks at the cardio unit of KATH indicated a need for critical life-saving equipment, saying that the absence of such equipment poses a threat to everyone's lives.

“We struggle with basic equipment. Dialysis machines are hard to come by here. They tell me KATH lacks some life-saving equipment. 

“If I have an emergency and I am taken there, they may not be able to treat me. Where do they take me then? By the time I am taken to Accra, something bad would have happened,” he said.

The hospital's management also highlighted the need for retooling during the Health Minister's visit.

The Chief Executive of the hospital, Professor Otchere Addai-Mensah, explained that the facility has incurred significant costs fixing the LINAC machine in the Oncology Department.

He noted that measures were already in place to procure the equipment before the doctors went on strike.

On his part, the Health Minister, Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye assured that he would work with the hospital to achieve its objectives.

“I want to give you the assurance that we will work speedily to help the retooling. Hospitals like this because of the numbers sometimes even when you get equipment or tools within a short time you need replacement and other,“ he added.