The Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) has assured that it will continue to strategically invest its funds to sustain and increase its profitability for the benefit of pension contributors.

The assurance comes after SSNIT opened The Trust Hospital Premium Center in Osu in the Greater Accra region.

Speaking to Joy Business at the launch of the hospital, Director-General of SSNIT, Dr. John Ofori-Tenkorang commended management of the hospital for always executing professionalism and quality service delivery while urging the newly birthed facility to keep up with the good pace.

“Let me emphasize that in this global competitive environment, you may have the best of human capital and equipment but what will distinguish you is excellent customer service. Trust Hospital has over the years carved a niche for itself in the area of quality services delivery and the Premium Centre must leverage this niche to attract the best professionals within the health industry to offer superior service to the public,” he said.

“SSNIT, through its investment in the hospital, is helping to meet the health needs of workers and pensioners, create employment and generate the needed revenue to pay workers when they retire. We are optimistic that the facility will be maintained well to deliver superior service at all times.”

On her part, the Chief Executive Officer for the Trust Hospital, Dr. Juliana Oye Ameh said the 30-bed pediatric extension wards facility is borne out of necessity to serve clients to the end of their care journey and for quality after care.

In narrating why she strongly believes that the new location is here to truly offer the best care, she told a story from a few weeks ago about an incident that almost led to a child being denied quality care due to the unavailability of a bed.

“We received a call from our Sakumono clinic requesting to refer a critically ill child to our Mother and Child Hospital. Unfortunately, the wards were full. Were we going to send this child to another facility or keep her at our clinic with minimal access to all the essential help the child needed? Or just the throw our hands in the air in despair? NO.

We had just finished the structural works in this facility, we quickly mobilized all resources and moved patient round in order to bring a cold case here when we have barely put pillows on the beds. This incident brought the awakening realization of what problem persisted in our hospital and largely Accra. This is the reason why we have this 30- bed pediatric extension wards today. It was borne out of necessity to serve our client to the end of their care journey and for quality after care,” she said.

Quality cancer care

She added that new premium facility falls in line with her mission to help improve the lives of people living with cancer. “One of my goals as the CEO is to ensure that all our patients that are diagnosed at the pink October breast cancer awareness drive, have access to treatment. This goal of mine fueled my passion to delve into full-fledged oncology service. Cancer prevalence and mortality are increasing in Ghana and we must help every diagnosed case as early as we can,” she said.

Prior to the establishment of the chemotherapy unit of the premium center, when patients were diagnosed with cancer, they were referred to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital and others. “Now the Trust Hospital, with the help of Roche, a Swiss multinational healthcare company, is going to provide patients diagnosed with cancer full treatment and not left to their fate at other facilities,” she noted.

Commendations

Deputy Minister for Health, Tina Mensah, in a speech read on her behalf, commended management of the hospital for complimenting government’s efforts to provide quality health care service to the Ghanaian populace

“Since its establishment as a not-for-profit health facility to serve the healthcare needs of staff (and dependents) of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) and to enhance their productivity at the workplace, through its transformation into a fully-fledge hospital and opening its doors to the general public – the Trust Hospital has served as the gold-standard the provision of quality cost-effective care, guided by the core values of professionalism, respect, excellence, accountability and teamwork.”

About the hospital

This latest addition to the group, Trust Premium Centre, located at Ringway-Osu in Accra, which is a 3-in-1 healthcare centre that seeks to ease the burden on the three main hospitals in Osu and the other five in different parts of Accra.

The Trust Hospital’s Premium Centre consist of the main hospital building, a 30-bed pediatric extension ward and a well-stocked boutique pharmacy aimed at providing quality health care services to clients and the general public.

The hospital’s Premium Center will offer services including dialysis, chemotherapy, general practitioner and specialist consultations in oncology, nephrology and urology. The pediatric extension will run child health services including pediatric consultations, admissions and child welfare clinic. Rooms in the premium facility includes general wards, private rooms and semi-private wards with two patients sharing a room.