The Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) says delayed reimbursements from the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), ageing and inadequate infrastructure and equipment continue to affect its operations.

A mid-year review of the Hospital's 2016 performance also says it suffers from a lack of an effective oxygen plant and management has the task of making do with the scanty internally generated resource against delayed reimbursement from the NHIA.  

Chief Executive Officer of the Hospital, Dr. Joseph Akpaloo notes that KATH spent about GHC1 million of its internally generated funds on the procurement of equipment this year to improve patient care.

He added, “It is becoming increasingly difficult to meet all the financial and logistical obligations of the hospital from internal and state resources.”

Speaking at the ceremony in Kumasi he said management is urging all units and directories management teams to think outside the box in order to mobilise resources.

Despite these challenges, KATH recorded a decrease in maternal mortality rate and Out Patients Department (OPD) cases.

"Maternal mortality rates have been witnessing significant drop from a high figure of 1221.62 percent per 100,000 life deliveries in 2013, the figure dropped to 1077.80 percent in 2015," Dr Akpaloo said.

Meanwhile, Joy News' Erastus Asare Donkor reports that the hospital has secured a €325,000 facility from the State Chancery of Germany towards the construction of a modern medical waste treatment plant.