KATH rewards staff for hard work (PAGE 23, JAN 31, 2011)

Story: George Ernest Asare, Kumasi

Seventeen workers of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) have been honoured for their hard work.
They were presented with television sets, deep freezers and cookers, among other items, as their reward.
The overall best worker award went to Ms Regina Obeng- a Nurse- who was presented with a Tata saloon car.
Other award winners were Ms Yaa Nyarko Poku- Best Nurse- junior category, who was presented with a five-burner cooker, Ms Margaret Aboraa, Best Midwife, who also received a burner cooker as her reward, Mr Samuel A. Asibi, Best Nurse Anaesthetist, who received a 32-inch LCD television, Ms Faustina Otumphoe, Best Healthcare Assistant, who was given a double- decker fridge, Mr William Parker, who also received a double-decker fridge as the Best Allied Health junior division.
The others are Mr Augustine Baah, Best Allied Health, a double-decker fridge, Mr Joseph Atta Amankwah, Best Administrator, a 32-inch LCD television, Mr Yahaya Adamu, Best Support Staff, junior category, a double-decker fridge , Mr James Baddeu, Best Support Staff, senior category, a 32-inch LCD television and Mr Kwasi Appiah, Best Pharmacist, a deep freezer.
The rest are Ms Francisca Antwi, Best Pharmacy Assistant, a five-burner cooker, Mr Simon Mariwa Mensah, Best Audit Staff, a 32-inch television, Mr Kwame O. Atrams, Best Finance Officer, a 32-inch television, Dr Paa Ekow Hoyte Williams, Best Doctor, Junior category, a 32-inch television, Dr Fred Stephen Sarfo, Best Doctor, senior category, a 32-inch LCD television and Dr Thomas Konney, Best Specialist, a deep freezer as his prize.
Delivering an address at the award and thanksgiving ceremony, the Deputy Minister of Health, Mr Robert Joseph Mettle- Nunoo, commended the Management and Board of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) for initiating a Provident Fund designed to improve the welfare of its staff and secure their future.
He has also commended them for designing and implementing unique packages aimed at motivating the staff to offer their best in terms of quality healthcare delivery.
Mr Mettle-Nunoo said the government had recognised the immense contributions by the management and board of the hospital to enhance quality healthcare delivery in the country and, therefore, challenged the staff of the hospital to work harder than before “to reciprocate these laudable interventions”.
Commending the award winners for their invaluable contributions to healthcare delivery, Mr Mettle-Nunoo said the government had “developed a comprehensive plan to address the infrastructure deficit in the country’s health delivery system”, stressing that “The government is determined to bequeath a functional and robust health delivery system for Ghanaians”.
He said the government was also “ready to dialogue with all health professional groupings in the country in finding mutually acceptable solutions needed to address some of the outstanding issues on conditions of service”.
For his part, the Chief Executive of the KATH, Professor Ohene Adjei, assured that “ staff motivation and welfare continue to be a pivotal priority for management” Explaining, he said, “ A well-trained and motivated workforce constitutes the bedrock upon which the hospital’s vision for becoming a Medical Centre of Excellence can be achieved”.
He pointed out that “as the sole referral health facility in arguably the most populous region in the country, we know how over-burdened our staff are with work,” noting that “ as management, we believe the little we can do is to assuage this heavy workload by instituting special welfare packages to compensate workers for their sacrifices, hence, the establishment of the Provident Fund to take care of the future security of staff”.
He said the hospital had paid a total of GH¢180,000.00 from the Provident Fund to 516 workers who either went on retirement or were transferred from the hospital.