The vision of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) of becoming a centre of excellence of international repute has almost become a reality as the Accident Emergency Unit currently under construction to complement other facilities of the KATH would be inaugurated early 2008. Already, the Oncology Department, which was inaugurated about three years ago and designed to offer quality service to cancer patients is performing excellently, bringing relief to patients who seek treatment there. The Physiotherapy Department is also living up to expectation by providing efficient services to rehabilitate patients. The KATH has set up two intensive care units to enhance the speedy recovery in emergency cases. According to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the KATH, Dr Anthony Nsiah Asare, a new mortuary equipped with modern facilities for the preservation of corpses would also be inaugurated early next year. Speaking to newsmen as part of the annual end of year party organised for the staff of the hospital on Christmas eve, Dr Nsiah Asare said his administration would collaborate with all stakeholders to enable the hospital realise its dream of becoming a centre of excellence of international repute by the end of next year. The annual end of year party was instituted two years ago when the hospital celebrated its golden jubilee. It was designed to offer thanks to God for protecting the workers of the hospital and offering them the needed strength to cope with their numerous responsibilities. It was also meant to usher in the new year with hope and confidence to be able to meet all challenges head-on. Dr Asare said with the inauguration of the Accident Emergency Centre, their dream would be on course to offer quality services to trauma related patients in the northern sector of the country and beyond. He said the hospital was also on course to establish a Cardiothoracic Centre to complement the services of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital. He said with that centre, patients from the Kumasi metropolis and its environs, as well as those from the neighbouring countries would no longer travel down south for treatment. He said plans were also far advanced to establish a new surgical unit at the hospital. Dr Nsiah Asare said efforts were also being made to complete the maternity and baby blocks now under construction to reduce the congestion at the Children's and Maternity wards of the KATH, stressing that the completion of the project would clear a major hurdle confronting the hospital in terms of congestion. He commended the staff of the KATH for their commitment and dedication to duty. He also commended the government for the financial support it had been giving the hospital over the years. "The support and co-operation of the staff and the government over the years have been the magic wand propelling us towards the realisation of our dream of providing quality health care to our numerous patients," he said." Dr Nsiah Asare further commended the staff for not participating in the health workers strike this year and appealed to them to maintain such positive attitude. That, he said, would make it possible for them to offer the requisite services to their patients. He gave the assurance that his administration would continue to address the needs of the staff to encourage them to work hard. He said accommodation was one of the major concerns which were being addressed, and that currently, plans were far advanced to construct a nurses’ block at Bantama to ease their accommodation problems. Source: Daily Graphic