The Rotary Club of Kumasi has stepped in to provide some of the needed equipment for the St. Michael Hospital to improve maternal and child care.

The group donated a delivery bed, patient monitors, and a suction machine to aid medical care.

It is in response to the needs of St. Michael Hospital, which seeks more clinical monitors and other equipment to enhance care for critically ill patients and emergency cases.

President of the Rotary Club of Kumasi, Nana Afia Osei Asamoah, indicated, “They had challenges and we responded to the call for support. We had to assist them to ease the pressure and challenges of the hospital.”

Though the equipment were donated with maternal and child health in mind, other areas will benefit from the gesture.

Presently, the hospital relies on eight clinical monitors at the emergency and recovery wards that are assigned to patients based on the severity of their cases.

Medical Director, Dr. Samuel Yaw Adu, has indicated, aside from monitors, that the facility is in need of other essential equipment to improve service delivery.

“We have a tall list of equipment we have to procure, but we don’t have the resources for that. For monitors, almost everybody admitted will need one but we don’t have enough, especially for critical cases management.”

At the facility’s emergency ward, medical monitors that display and track patients' vital signs and other parameters are inadequate, with the recovery ward encountering similar challenges.

St. Michael’s Hospital was upgraded to a hospital status in 1960 to cater for the healthcare needs of people in the Bosomtwe District and its environs.

Over the years, the hospital has upgraded its facilities to offer some specialty care.

Nonetheless, the 144-bed capacity hospital continues to grapple with equipment challenges which have negatively affected healthcare delivery.

The catholic facility was established to provide social service to the people, hence, some of the vulnerable people who are treated at the facility are unable to foot their bills.

In some instances, the hospital relies on its poor and sick fund to support such cases.

Dr. Yaw Adu indicates the situation has negatively affected retooling efforts.

60^TH Anniversary of Rotary Club of Kumasi

Last year, the Rotary Club of Kumasi marked its 60^th Anniversary, celebrating its achievements and contributions to the development of the country. It is the second oldest club in Ghana.

The Anniversary was marked by a Rotary Positive Peace Dialogue and Magic Walk, held in recognition of the election year and a Presidential Fundraising Dinner in October 2024 at the Golden Bean Hotel.

The dinner was organized to raise funds in support of the needs of St. Michael’s Hospital at Pramso.

According to the club’s history, the journey as the “Provisional Rotary Club of Kumasi” in 1963, when 30 businessmen from diverse professions united to form an association.

They sought sponsorship from the Rotary Club of Accra to gain membership in Rotary International.

The objectives of the club have since stayed in line with Rotary International, providing support to selected sectors of social services, including;

Maternal and Child Health: Ensuring that mothers and children in underserved areas have access to the medical equipment they need to thrive.

Supporting Education and Basic Literacy: Equipping schools in deprived communities with essential resources.

Promoting a Green Environment:  Through tree planting and clean-up exercises, we will contribute to a healthier planet for future generations.

Disease Prevention: We will work tirelessly to promote disease prevention to ensure healthier, more resilient communities.

In 2023/2024 Rotary year, the Rotary Club of Kumasi partnered with the Rotary Club of Salem, Virginia, USA, to invest significantly into the club’s Global Grant for a Water and Sanitation project, totaling US$223,000.

These projects have positively impacted over 50,206 people in Kumasi Metropolis, Tafo/Pankrono Municipality, Obuasi, and surrounding communities.

With the investment, 12 mechanized boreholes for Ejisu, Tafo, and the surrounding areas. Also, 50 Microflush toilets have been provided for the Edwenase community and 10 for Kumasi Anglican Senior High School.

Also, sixty youth were trained in making microflush toilets. Microcredit loans were offered to small businesses in the Bekwai and Obuasi Municipal areas.

Musical equipment were donated to Manhyia Prisons, with a free health screening extending to the facility and the Sokoban community as well.

About Rotary

Rotary International is a renowned humanitarian service organization that brings together a global network of volunteer professional leaders and businesses dedicated to tackling the world’s most pressing humanitarian challenges.

The key areas of focus include disease prevention, support of the environment, basic education and literacy, maternal and child health, water and sanitation, economic development and peace-building.
It connects 1.4 million members of more than 46,000 Rotary Clubs in over 200 communities and geographical areas.

In Ghana, it has 70 clubs of which six are already located in the Ashanti Region.