By Dorothy Frances Ward
Kumasi, Aug. 31. GNA – The management of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi, has from January to June 2023, sanctioned 16 members of staff as part of efforts to improve discipline at the hospital.
The sanctions, which included dismissals, warnings and suspensions without pay, were for various infractions of the disciplinary codes of the hospital.
Professor Otchere Addai-Mensah, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the hospital, who made this known, said management was working to instil discipline in the members of staff to ensure better patient care practices at the second largest referral facility in the country.
Management has also intensified supervision of staff and clinical services with the maintenance of physical presence at all the operational areas.
Prof. Addai-Mensah was speaking at the opening of the mid-year performance review meeting of the hospital in Kumasi.
The meeting was on the theme “Driving A Customer – Centric Agenda for Health Care Delivery: The Role of the KATH Management, Staff and Stakeholders”.
Prof Addai-Mensah, however, indicated that, ensuring discipline among staff alone was not enough to ensure quality healthcare delivery.
Therefore, management had taken a few steps to enhance staff motivation packages to encourage them to give out their best.
He said allowances had been increased, medical packages for staff and families had also been increased by 25 per cent.
Additionally, outstanding promotions had been cleared and 13-months allowances owed members of the health services workers union had been paid.
The CEO said it was expected that these sets of motivations and others, would encourage staff members to go extra mile to meet patients’ expectations for quality clinical services at the hospital.
Prof Addai-Mensah, noted that, a cursory look around the hospital clearly showed remarkable improvements in its infrastructure and work environment.
He said priority attention was being given to the Asantehene – led initiative of raising 10,000.00 United States dollars for the comprehensive renovation of the old “GEE” blocks, which served as the main in-patient facilities of the hospitals.
As part of the hospital’s beautification exercise, the doctors’ flats, laundry, breast care unit, finance, human resource blocks and the family welfare directorate had all received a major face-lift.
He said the Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Centre, Patients relatives’ hostel, the Dialysis Centre and others, would also receive massive renovation by the close of the year.
Prof. Addai Mensah said the hospital performed well by recording 133,267 out – patients (OPD) cases as against a target of 123,971, representing a positive variance of 7.50.
He said that primary care OPD cases also went up to 31,378 which was 14 per cent above the set target of 27,500 cases.
Surgical Operations for the period were 10.375, that was 27 per cent above the set target of 8,100, and the target for radio therapy services, laboratory deliveries, emergency admissions and others were all met.
GNA