By Solomon Gumah
Tamale, May 21, GNA – Le Mete Ghana, a non-profit organisation, and the Tamale Urology and Modern Surgical Centre (TUMSC) have jointly launched activities to mark their 10th anniversary, celebrating a decade of specialised healthcare delivery and improved access to quality services in northern Ghana.
The anniversary is on the theme: “10 Years of Compassionate Healthcare: Strengthening Partnerships for Universal Health Coverage in Northern Ghana.”
The launch brought together health professionals, development partners, traditional authorities, community members and government officials.
Dr Akisibadek Afoko, President of Le Mete Ghana and Medical Director of TUMSC, said the occasion was a celebration of resilience, sacrifice and partnership that had contributed to the growth of the institution.
He noted that the initiative began with modest resources from himself and his wife, Vivian, and later received support from local and international partners, including Madam Giovanna and Mr Giacomo Alcuri.
Dr Afoko said the facility had, over the past decade, provided healthcare services to more than 80,000 patients through both in-house care and outreach programmes.
He said what started as a small clinic had grown into a district hospital accredited by the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) and the Health Facilities Regulatory Agency (HeFRA).
The facility expanded in 2022 with the construction of a maternal and child health unit through support from Italian partners and the Lions Club.
Dr Afoko announced plans to establish a dedicated outpatient department and diagnostic centre within the next 12 to 14 months, adding that dental services would begin next week following the installation of modern equipment.
He said the centre had also signed Memoranda of Understanding with the Tamale Teaching Hospital and the University for Development Studies to support clinical training and healthcare delivery.
He indicated that many medical students, house officers and nurses had received practical training at the facility.
Dr Afoko highlighted key medical achievements, including Ghana’s first locally executed laparoscopic radical prostatectomy and laparoscopic enucleation of the prostate.
He added that the centre had handled complex cases, including surgeries on patients aged over 90 years, and had attracted clients from neighbouring countries such as Burkina Faso, Togo and Ethiopia.
He cited a case of a patient from Spain who underwent successful surgery after living with a catheter for two years.
Despite these achievements, Dr Afoko identified inadequate staffing, as well as unreliable water and electricity supply, as major challenges, and appealed to the Ministry of Health for support.
“This is a district hospital using the National Health Insurance Scheme and providing specialised services, yet we still struggle with staffing,” he said.
Dr Chrysantus Kubio, Northern Regional Director of the Ghana Health Service, commended the institution for its contribution to specialised healthcare and outreach services in the region.
He said disparities in healthcare access between urban and rural communities remained a major challenge, particularly in northern Ghana where many districts lacked specialists, infrastructure and diagnostic services.
He mentioned Karaga, Saboba, Yunyoo-Nasuan, East Mamprusi and North Gonja as areas requiring sustained healthcare investment.
Dr Kubio expressed optimism that the next decade would bring greater innovation and improved healthcare delivery.
GNA
Edited by Eric K. Amoh/Lydia Kukua Asamoah