By Kamal Ahmed, GNA
Agomanya (E/R), Oct. 13, GNA – St Martin de Porres Catholic Hospital needs about 200 additional workers to sustain its expanding specialised services and meet rising demand for healthcare.
The hospital currently has 417 workers but requires between 600 and 650 staff to meet its operational needs.
Mr Emmanuel Bosompim, Hospital Manager and Administrator, disclosed this during the facility’s 80th anniversary celebration and the commissioning of new facilities.
He said 300 employees were paid by the government, while the hospital supported 117 workers through internally generated funds.
Mr Bosompim identified shortages of paediatricians, critical care nurses and emergency nurses among the hospital’s main staffing challenges.
He said inadequate staff accommodation, limited land for expansion and the need for an additional ward were also affecting operations.
Despite these challenges, the hospital expanded its specialised services in 2024 by introducing computed tomography (CT) scans, dental care and ear, nose and throat services.
The expansion was intended to improve access to specialised medical care for residents of the Krobo area and neighbouring communities.
Mr Bosompim reported that the eye department attended to 4,981 patients in 2024, compared with 2,895 patients in 2023.
The CT scan unit recorded 561 patients, while the dental and ENT departments attended to 338 and 687 patients, respectively.
“The hospital has also introduced VIP outpatient, fast-track and homecare services, including a homecare ambulance service, to improve access to healthcare,” he said.
Mr Bosompim noted that outpatient visits increased by about 8.5 per cent, from 88,583 in 2023 to 96,155 in 2024.
He added that the hospital had targeted 100,000 outpatient visits in 2025.
The Hospital Administrator appealed for support to address the staffing and infrastructure constraints and strengthen the facility’s capacity to provide quality healthcare.
The anniversary celebration featured the commissioning of a conference hall and a stores and offices complex.
The facilities will support professional training, administrative work and the management of medical supplies.
Dr Peter Yeboah, Executive Director of the Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG) and keynote speaker, described the facility as the first Catholic hospital in the CHAG family and a founding member of the association.
He called for sustained investment in mentorship, leadership development and succession planning to support the hospital’s continued growth.
Nene Sakite II, Konor of the Manya Krobo Traditional Area and President of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs, expressed optimism that the hospital could develop into a specialist or teaching hospital.
He was represented by Nene Teye Adjiso III, Asafoatse of Suisi Menekpo.
Nene Sakite commended the hospital for its healthcare services and public health interventions, including its response to COVID-19 and HIV/AIDS.
The Catholic Bishop of Koforidua, Most Rev. Joseph Kwaku Afrifah-Agyekum, and Dr James Atampiiga Avoka, Municipal Director of Health Services, also commended the hospital for its contribution to healthcare delivery.
GNA
Edited by D.I. Laary/Kenneth Odeng Adade
Reporter: Kamal Ahmed
Email: [email protected]