Heart attack and cardiac arrest cases at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) have risen by more than 250 percent in the last decade, with two to three new patients seeking treatment daily.

According to hospital authorities, for 70 years, KATH has operated without a Catheterisation Laboratory (CATH Lab), forcing many patients to travel to Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra or abroad for treatment.

However, the government has started building a CATH Lab at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital to address the rising cases of heart disease and cardiac arrest.

The need for a CATH Lab became urgent after the death of Dr. Kwame Adu Ofori, a 47-year-old emergency physician at KATH, who died in 2025 after being rushed to Accra for treatment that could not be provided locally.

Consultant Cardiologist Dr. Lambert Tetteh Appiah says the lack of a cardiac facility is affecting patient care.

“Just this week, we’ve had two to three cases requiring emergency transfers to Accra for specialized intervention. This has become a weekly occurrence for at least two to three patients every week,” he said.

The Ministry of Health and the Ghana Medical Trust Fund have intervened to build a Cardiology and Interventional Centre at the hospital.

Chief Executive Officer of KATH, Dr. Paa Kwesi Baidoo, indicated that the new facility will soon be completed to improve healthcare delivery and save lives.

“It is going to change the way we do a lot of things. Many of the conditions that previously required patients to be flown to India, the United States, or Europe will now be treated right here. We already have staff who have been trained, but training without the right facilities can make skills go rusty.

“That is why the Ministry, through the Medical Trust Fund, has taken up the responsibility of further training. Three doctors, along with biomedical engineers, nurses, and all personnel who will be needed at the centre, are being trained. And we are not waiting for the centre to be completed before this training begins,” he said.

He was speaking to journalists during a consultative forum involving management, consultants, and senior specialists of the hospital.

The forum was held under the theme “70 Years of Impacting Lives: The Role of Quality in the Pursuit of Excellence.”

The forum aims to assess the hospital's services and instill quality practices.