The Holy Family Hospital in Techiman, located in the Bono East Region, has achieved a major medical milestone, becoming a level four SafeCare-rated health institution.

The hospital has also been fully accredited by the Health Facility Regulatory Agency (HeFRA) as a secondary-level health facility.

The facility has also been accredited by the College of Physicians and Surgeons as a centre for specialist training of Members and Fellows of the College, contributing to critical human resource development for the country's health sector.

This recognition affirms the hospital’s disposition and commitment to the delivery of secondary or referral-level healthcare that meets international standards for quality to the people in the Bono Region and its environs, eliminating the need for them to travel to Kumasi or Accra for specialist-level service in obstetrics, gynaecology, paediatrics, and surgical treatment.

The hospital administrator credits the SafeCare quality improvement certification program with the spurring enhancements in various quality standards and protocols, which led to the hospital’s elevation by the College of Physicians and Surgeons.

The hospital administrator, Christopher Akaanbonaab, highlighted the hospital's journey from its establishment in 1954 as a health post by medical missionaries to its current status as a secondary Hospital facility and a centre of excellence in healthcare delivery.

He emphasised that the accreditation not only benefits patients and the hospital’s image but also mandates the training of medical staff in the region, facilitating the decentralisation of healthcare professionals’ development, and their equitable distribution that will lead to overall improvement of healthcare services in the in the region and the country at large.

“We currently have accreditation for training in obstetrics and gynaecology, paediatrics, and surgery. This is an opportunity to contribute critical human resource development for the health sector of our country, and we are honoured to be part of it,” stated Mr Akaanbonaab.

He further expressed the hospital's commitment to maintaining and enhancing its quality of care through continuous improvement to progress to SafeCare Level 5 status.

“Level 4 out of 5 means we have one more step to go. We still recognise that there’s a lot more work to be done.

"First, to maintain this current rating and more importantly to improve upon it and get the highest rating, which is Level 5.”

In the face of a dwindling number of health professionals in rural communities, Mr Akaanbonaab also lauded the idea of decentralisation of medical training in the country.

“One way to improve this current situation would be to decentralize residents training to major regional centres that can offer opportunities for more candidates who will not have to move from their social setting to Accra or Kumasi.”

The Executive Director of the Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG), Dr Peter Yeboah, described the upgrade of the Holy Family Hospital as monumental, paving the way for the training of more health professionals to address healthcare challenges in the more resource-constrained parts of the country.

“To us, it is not only monumental, it is so much a vital instrument for training specialists at the peripheral level.

"Meaning that we’ll be able to attract and retain specialists who will be trained as part of localisation and decentralisation to ensure that quality healthcare services are spread to the peripheral ends.”

The current status of the facility as a referral centre also makes it the first CHAG hospital to be accredited by the college to train specialists in paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology, surgery, and internal medicine.

According to the Executive Director of the Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG), Dr Peter Yeboah, this gives meaning to the decentralisation policy of the College of Physicians and Surgeons and aligns very well with Ghana’s quest to achieve Universal Health Coverage.

"The concept of decentralisation in training members and fellows of the college has long been an objective of the Ghana Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons. After rigorous assessment, the Holy Family Hospital has been accredited to train fellows," Dr. Yeboah explained.

Hospital authorities are enthusiastic about providing globally standardised healthcare services and equipping healthcare professionals with internationally accepted skills, aligning with Ghana's goal of achieving universal health coverage.

The hospital has imbibed and leveraged the ambition of SafeCare, which is to create a global platform of organisations and people willing to pursue innovative approaches to improve clinical quality, using transformative digital solutions to challenge the status quo and strengthen trust in the healthcare system.