By Iddi Yire
Accra, May 14, GNA – President John Dramani Mahama says government through the Ghana Medical Trust Fund (MahamaCares) has initiated the construction of Catheterisation Laboratories (Cath Labs) at the nation’s three major teaching Hospitals to treat cardiovascular patients.
They include the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, the Okomfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi, and the Tamale Teaching Hospital.
A Cath Lab is a specialised Hospital examination room equipped with advanced imaging technology to visualise and treat heart and vascular conditions, such as blocked arteries or abnormal rhythms, using minimally invasive techniques
President Mahama made the disclosure in his address at the commissioning of the state-of-the-art Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography (PET-CT) scan for cancer diagnosis and treatment at the Sweden Ghana Medical Centre (SGMC) in Accra.
PET-CT scan is an advanced imaging test that combines metabolic and structural information to accurately diagnose and monitor diseases like cancer.
SGMC, a state-of- the-art oncology Centre and the leading cancer care provided in West Africa was acquired by the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) in 2020.
“We recently procured three new catheterization laboratories, a popularly called Catlabs, for Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, for Okomfo Anokye Teaching Hospital and for Tamale Teaching Hospital,” he said.
“These labs will improve the diagnosis and treatments of cardiovascular conditions in the south, center, and northern parts of our country.”
He noted that a new Cardiothoracic Centre was being built at the Tamale Teaching Hospital to save heart disease patients from travelling all the way to Kumasi and Accra to seek treatment.
He said the Volta Regional Hospital and the Cape Coast Hospital would also have new Cardiothoracic Centres built to cater for patients in the eastern and western parts of the country.
“We have commenced the procurement processes for the construction of three new regional hospitals in three of the newly created regions to improve healthcare outcomes for the people who live there,” the President said.
“And by the end of 2020, it will provide three more regional hospitals for the remaining three new regions.”
President Mahama commended the leadership of the GNAT for this visionary initiative in establishing the PET-CT Scan.
He said GNAT had demonstrated that its commitment to teachers extends just beyond advocacy and labour concerns to include the overall health, their dignity, and their well-being.
“Indeed, this investment sends a powerful message that the health of our teachers is directly linked to the health and future of our nation,” he said.
“When teachers are healthy and supported, our classrooms become stronger, educational outcomes improve, and our national future becomes more secure.”
President Mahama said the SGMC stands as a compelling example of what could be achieved through strategic partnership, innovation, and shared national papers.
He said it also highlights the important role that institutions such as GNAT could play in complementing the government’s efforts to strengthen health care delivery across the country.
President Mahama urged the private sector to emulate GNAT’s example and invest in advanced medical care facilities to supplement the Government’s efforts to make Ghana a center for medical tourism.
GNA
Edited by Linda Asante Agyei