Authorities of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital are appealing for public support, to upgrade the facility's Intensive Care Unit for Covid-19 management.

Chief Executive, Dr. Oheneba Owusu-Danso, says the facility is currently overstretched due to its location as the only facility serving the middle and northern belts.

He spoke after receiving a cheque for GH¢200,000 and 20 infrared thermometer guns from the Forestry Commission in Kumasi.

KATH  as Covid-19 center

Komfo Anokye Hospital is one of the case management centres for Covid-19 in the Ashanti Region.

Though it has space for 25 beds, only two intensive care ones are available.

This seriously limits the number of critically ill patients in need of a ventilator and other life support equipment who can be accommodated.

Dr. Owusu-Danso admits the gap in intensive care equipment.

"For us as a case management centre, our major focus is to do with those who will come in severely and critically ill, for whom we will need to sometimes assist in their breathing, as far as their respiratory effort is concerned. And we identify that that is the area that we must seriously look at in our investment drive," he said.

"Currently from the triaging area at the emergency to the holding area, all the cases that or patients who will test positive, we've set up a 25-bed  highly infectious isolation unit which is down there at the Polyclinic...And that is why this donation coming from the Forestry Commission is very timely," he added.

He told journalists, the issue has been brought to the attention of the Ministry of Health, including submitting a list of equipment needed, to authorities.

"...we have been informed that the [Health] Ministry is working assiduously to assist, especially, in the areas of equipment deficit just so that we would be able to upgrade our intensive care positions in the hospital to a very higher level."

KATH under pressure

According to Dr. Owusu-Danso, Komfo Anokye Hospital's proximity comes with a lot of pressure on the facility. The facility receives patients from Ashanti, Bono and Bono East, Ahafo, Northern, North-East and Savannah regions. Others include Upper East and Upper West, Western-North as well as Cote d'Ivoire and Burkina Faso.

The advent of Covid-19 has also increased basic consumables and protective materials at the facility.

"For the strategic location of Komfo Anokye, currently we have other patients who don't have Covid-19 infection but who are also here being cared for at our intensive care sites. So, therefore, you can see the pressure on our intensive care services because of our central location caring for the central belt and the northern belt of the country. Even for our basic personal protective materials, for instance, our glove utilisation has tripled in the event of coronavirus pandemic; sanitisers we used to use  400 or 500ml bottle weekly. Now we are doing 3,000 to 3,200 weekly," Dr. Owusu-Danso revealed.

Forestry Commission Donation

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The Forestry Commission, led by the Deputy Chief Executive, John Allotey on behalf of its CEO, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, donated a cheque for GH¢ 200,000 and the 20 infrared thermometers.

The donation, according to officials followed an earlier appeal by the management of Komfo Anokye Hospital to the Commission, to support the hospital's endowment fund.

Mr Allotey hopes the donation would impact positively on healthcare delivery.

He hoped KATH will use the money to buy Personal Protective Equipments, among others.

Achimota Hospital,  Achimota Police Station, as well as the Achimota Lorry Terminal, have all benefited from the benevolence of Forestry Commission.

Dr. Oheneba Owusu-Danso described the Forestry Commission’s gesture as timely, promising management will make judicious use of the money.

"I want to thank most sincerely, the Forestry Commission for their benevolence for extending this gesture to us and I call on other corporate bodies to emulate this example".

Meanwhile, Sunda Company, Ghana, has presented several packs of detergents and soap to the hospital.

Managing Director, Patrick Zhang, presented the items to Dr.  Owusu-Danso.