Patients who travel outside the country in search of treatment for complex ear, nose and throat conditions will soon be able to access such services at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.

Diagnosis and treatment of complicated and delicate conditions such as discharging ears, hearing impairment, vertigo among others will soon be possible at the health facility.

The University of Michigan is supporting the establishment of a Microsurgical Center at the Hospital to enable patients to receive such treatments locally.

So far three workstations at a cost of 150,000 US dollars each, equipped with state-of-the-art surgical microscopes, microsurgical and audiovisual equipment have been donated.

A Temporal Bone Laboratory, the first of its kind in Ghana, will also be set up at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital to train physicians and nurses.

Knowledge of the pathologic basis of disease is considered central to the study of medicine. Otology, the branch of medicine which studies ear  is unique because the inner ear is inaccessible during life, so conventional techniques are not feasible.

The laboratory will provide eye and ear surgeons with opportunities for hands-on experience in a variety of surgical procedures for treating patients with delicate conditions.

An Ear, Nose and Throat Consultant Surgeon at KATH, Dr. Mohammed Duah, said the gesture is a relief to hundreds of patients who need such care.

According to Dr. Duah, who is also a lecturer at the School of Medical Sciences at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology , though there are several patients in dire need of specialized care, the absence of such equipment hinders their treatment.

“Today alone we have over forty people screened. this is a tip of the iceberg. We are talking about people with discharging ears, people with hearing impairment; people with vertigo, dizziness with rotational components, people with noise in the ear; people with abnormal gate. I mean people who cannot walk straight-balance issues as a result of diseases in the ear”. Dr. Duah revealed.

The University of Michigan expects to transfer knowledge as it offers specialty training to personnel at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.

Leader of a six-man delegation from the Michigan University, Professor Jeffery Moyer, told Nhyira FM the equipment will help build the reputation of physicians as they provide quality care to patients.

“Ultimately it would allow physicians to take much better care of their patients because they would be able to practice surgery before going to the operating theater. One of the key things about being a good surgeon is reputation. So the facility will help them [physicians] perfect their skills”.Dr. Moyer told Nhyira FM.