THE cost of open heart surgery, which is sometimes beyond the reach of some patients, makes it impossible for those suffering from various cardio vascular diseases in the country, to seek medical care.
As a result the relatives of these patients, most of whom are children launch various appeals in the media to raise funds from philanthropists and organisations to bear the cost of such treatment.
To help alleviate the plight of such patients, the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi has collaborated with a team of specialists from Boston Children Hospital in the United States of America, for the performance of free open heart surgery at the Accident and Emergency Centre at KATH.
The annual programme, which started three years ago, has benefited 44 Ghanaian children and others from the West African sub-Region.
This year, a team of 32 specialists from the USA, in collaboration with their counterparts at KATH has performed free open heart surgery for 14 children suffering from various cardio vascular diseases on October 16.
The team included heart specialists, physicians, nurses, pharmacists and volunteers among others, who paid for their own airfares.
All the patients, including three, who have already been discharged, are responding positively to treatment. According to the leader of the team, Dr Francis Fynn-Thompson, the others, including a 13 -year -old girl who are still on admission, are likely to be discharged soon.
The beneficiaries who reside in various parts of the country, were among many others who were screened by the medical team when they arrived in the country.
Dr Fynn-Thompson, who took newsmen round to see the conditions of some of the patients who were still in admission, said “each of the patients would have paid about $8,000 for the surgical operation”.
He said patients who were operated on since the exercise started always came for review “ and they are all doing very well”
He said the team spent about $70,000.00 on each mission, and in terms of medical equipment and suppliers, they spent a total of $ one million.
He said all equipment brought in for the surgical operations were left behind to enhance further exercises in future.
“ Our main goal is not only to perform free open heart surgery for children suffering from various heart problems, but also to build the capacity of medical officers at the KATH to enable them acquire the skills to treat such patients in future”, Dr Fynn-Thompson told newsmen.
On whether they are on course so far as their mission was concerned, Dr Fynn-Thompson noted, “ in terms of the care, we have been able to provide successful surgery for some children suffering from heart diseases for the past three years. We have some more human resource components to work on . We need to train both physicians , nurses and other medical personnel to enhance their technical skill in taking care of children with heart diseases”, adding that “the discussions are on-going and we hope to achieve results in the next couple of years”.
On their ultimate goal, Dr Thompson, who is a Ghanaian, noted “ we want to establish a cardiothoracic centre at the KATH with a particular focus on taking care of children with heart diseases”
On why they selected Ghana and Kumasi in particular, he said “we started this programme because we felt that there were a large number of children with congenial heart diseases who did not have access to the specific care compared to what we can provide in the US. We felt that we could provide that type of care , and also use the opportunity to train local Ghanaian counterparts with the requisite skills to adequately cater for such children”.
He said members of the team had collaborated effectively with their counterparts at KATH and pointed out that, “ we have identified specific people who are being trained for the past three years in specific skills. We will continue to train them, and with the support from the Chief Executive, physicians and nurses who are actively supporting us, we hope to achieve results very soon”.
The Chief Executive of KATH, Professor Ohene Adjei, commended Dr Fynn –Thompson and his team for their humanitarian gesture, saying, “ their presence is always seen as a blessing because we cannot imagine what would have happened to the children who had benefited from their gesture so far”.
We said KATH would be expecting them to continue the programme next year “ to help other children who have similar problems”.
He gave the assurance that KATH was on course of putting measures in place to establish the cardio centre to complement that of Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra to treat both children and adults suffering from various heart problems.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
ONE PERSON KILLED IN SHOOT-OUT OVER LAND (PAGE 3, OCT 26)
ONE person died during a shoot-out over a land dispute which occurred at Atwima Koforidua in the Ashanti Region last Saturday.
Seven others, including an 80-year-old woman who was identified as Maame Ntoaduru and one Diana, sustained various degrees of injury and were treated at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) and discharged.
The deceased, identified as Akoto, bled profusely and died on the spot after he had been allegedly shot in the chest and legs.
Another woman, identified as Alice, and a poultry farmer, identified only as Asiedu, who sustained serious injuries are on admission at the Intensive Care Unit of the KATH.
A poultry farm said to belong to Asiedu which had about 1,500 birds was set ablaze by the other faction in the conflict.
The body of the deceased has been deposited at the KATH mortuary for autopsy, while the police are searching for one Asante, suspected to be Akoto’s killer and said to have bolted with his loaded rifle moments after he allegedly shot the deceased.
A source at Atwima Koforidua told the Daily Graphic that the incident occurred about 11 a.m. on Saturday following a dispute over the land situated at the outskirts of the community.
The source said in the course of the quarrel, some people intervened, making it possible for the deceased to take to his heels, with the intention of reporting the incident to family members.
It said the suspect was alleged to have chased the deceased to the basic school park where he allegedly shot Akoto in the legs, causing him to fall in the process.
The source said the suspect again shot the deceased in the chest at close range, causing him to bleed to death on the spot.
It said the incident incensed the family members of the deceased, who also took locally manufactured guns and started firing, as a result of which some innocent members of the community got injured.
A police source told the Daily Graphic that the incident was reported hours after the shooting, making it possible for the main suspects to escape.
“But we are doing everything possible to apprehend them,” it added.
Seven others, including an 80-year-old woman who was identified as Maame Ntoaduru and one Diana, sustained various degrees of injury and were treated at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) and discharged.
The deceased, identified as Akoto, bled profusely and died on the spot after he had been allegedly shot in the chest and legs.
Another woman, identified as Alice, and a poultry farmer, identified only as Asiedu, who sustained serious injuries are on admission at the Intensive Care Unit of the KATH.
A poultry farm said to belong to Asiedu which had about 1,500 birds was set ablaze by the other faction in the conflict.
The body of the deceased has been deposited at the KATH mortuary for autopsy, while the police are searching for one Asante, suspected to be Akoto’s killer and said to have bolted with his loaded rifle moments after he allegedly shot the deceased.
A source at Atwima Koforidua told the Daily Graphic that the incident occurred about 11 a.m. on Saturday following a dispute over the land situated at the outskirts of the community.
The source said in the course of the quarrel, some people intervened, making it possible for the deceased to take to his heels, with the intention of reporting the incident to family members.
It said the suspect was alleged to have chased the deceased to the basic school park where he allegedly shot Akoto in the legs, causing him to fall in the process.
The source said the suspect again shot the deceased in the chest at close range, causing him to bleed to death on the spot.
It said the incident incensed the family members of the deceased, who also took locally manufactured guns and started firing, as a result of which some innocent members of the community got injured.
A police source told the Daily Graphic that the incident was reported hours after the shooting, making it possible for the main suspects to escape.
“But we are doing everything possible to apprehend them,” it added.
FAISAL WIN 2-1 (BACK PAGE, OCT 26)
Hamza Mohammed’s beautiful 30-metre volley, and Frank Akyeampong’s low grounder in the box, revived the fortunes of King Faisal at their favourite Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi as they won their first match, defeating Sekondi Hasaccas 2-1 in their Glo Premier League match yesterday.
After near misses by strikers of both teams, Hamza rose to the occasion when his volley on the half hour mark hit the upright corner of the net before Wilson Yeboah, in post for Hasaccas, could react.
Ten minutes later, Frank Akyeampong added his name to the score sheet when his low grounder in the box passed through a forest of legs before entering the net to give King Faisal a comfortable lead.
Back from recess, Hasaccas threw more men upfront, pinning their opponents into their own half and succeeded in reducing the tally through Joseph Bisah in the 60th minute.
The goal gingered the visitors to probe for the equaliser but Faisal withdrew more men in defence, denying the Sekondi boys the chance to share the three points at stake.
• Sekondi Eleven Wise yesterday beat Accra Great Olympics 2-1 at the Sekondi Sports Stadium. Wise’s first goal was scored through Kwabena Okyere on the 43rd minute, with William Owusu making it two in the 77th minute, reports Moses Dotse Aklorbortu, Sekondi.
Charles Amanquah of olympics got a consolation for his side on the 89th minute. However, the visiting team had to play ten against eleven from the 80th minute due to a bad tackle by Ernest Kpertwu which attracted a second yellow card followed by a red.
After near misses by strikers of both teams, Hamza rose to the occasion when his volley on the half hour mark hit the upright corner of the net before Wilson Yeboah, in post for Hasaccas, could react.
Ten minutes later, Frank Akyeampong added his name to the score sheet when his low grounder in the box passed through a forest of legs before entering the net to give King Faisal a comfortable lead.
Back from recess, Hasaccas threw more men upfront, pinning their opponents into their own half and succeeded in reducing the tally through Joseph Bisah in the 60th minute.
The goal gingered the visitors to probe for the equaliser but Faisal withdrew more men in defence, denying the Sekondi boys the chance to share the three points at stake.
• Sekondi Eleven Wise yesterday beat Accra Great Olympics 2-1 at the Sekondi Sports Stadium. Wise’s first goal was scored through Kwabena Okyere on the 43rd minute, with William Owusu making it two in the 77th minute, reports Moses Dotse Aklorbortu, Sekondi.
Charles Amanquah of olympics got a consolation for his side on the 89th minute. However, the visiting team had to play ten against eleven from the 80th minute due to a bad tackle by Ernest Kpertwu which attracted a second yellow card followed by a red.
FIX ATTRACTIVE SALARIES FOR PLAYERS (PAGE 31, OCT 24)
A former Vice Chairman of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Nana Yaw Owusu, has suggested to the GFA to collaborate with Premier League club managers to fix attractive salaries for local players.
He pointed out that fixing a minimum salary for players would not only reduce their movements to other Premier league clubs, but would also motivate them to offer their best to improve the standard of play.
“The GFA should find a way of deciding with the clubs what should be the minimum salary for players. Their salary should be attractive enough to prevent those yearning to go outside at all cost to play for foreign clubs to stay a bit longer and play in the country. This will make the league more exciting to entice fans into the stadium” he explained.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic on how to improve standards in the Premier league, Nana Yaw Owusu noted, “the standard of play counts in soccer in enticing fans into the stadium, but as key players get attractive offers from foreign clubs and leave the country midway when the Premier league starts, or is about to start, it reduces the interest that fans have in attending matches. It is therefore important for club management to pay their players well and instil a sense of nationalism in them.”
He said, “once players are adequately motivated and provided with the requisite remuneration and incentives, it would balance their desire to go outside, and rather play in the Glo Premier league.”
He also suggested to the GFA to discourage club officials from protesting against what he described as unqualified players.
Explaining, he said, prior to the starting of the league, all clubs advertised their registered players and a dead line was given for club management to query those deemed to be unqualified to register and play in the Premier league.
“What it meant was that, if there was any problem on any of the registered players, clubs would raise objection. As it were , it appears there was no objection regarding unqualified players because no team raised any objection on any of them.
He pointed out that fixing a minimum salary for players would not only reduce their movements to other Premier league clubs, but would also motivate them to offer their best to improve the standard of play.
“The GFA should find a way of deciding with the clubs what should be the minimum salary for players. Their salary should be attractive enough to prevent those yearning to go outside at all cost to play for foreign clubs to stay a bit longer and play in the country. This will make the league more exciting to entice fans into the stadium” he explained.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic on how to improve standards in the Premier league, Nana Yaw Owusu noted, “the standard of play counts in soccer in enticing fans into the stadium, but as key players get attractive offers from foreign clubs and leave the country midway when the Premier league starts, or is about to start, it reduces the interest that fans have in attending matches. It is therefore important for club management to pay their players well and instil a sense of nationalism in them.”
He said, “once players are adequately motivated and provided with the requisite remuneration and incentives, it would balance their desire to go outside, and rather play in the Glo Premier league.”
He also suggested to the GFA to discourage club officials from protesting against what he described as unqualified players.
Explaining, he said, prior to the starting of the league, all clubs advertised their registered players and a dead line was given for club management to query those deemed to be unqualified to register and play in the Premier league.
“What it meant was that, if there was any problem on any of the registered players, clubs would raise objection. As it were , it appears there was no objection regarding unqualified players because no team raised any objection on any of them.
Friday, October 23, 2009
14 CHILDREN RECEIVE FREE HEART SURGERY (PAGE 25, OCT 23)
From George Ernest Asare, Kumasi
Fourteen children, suffering from various cardio vascular diseases, have benefited from a free open-heart surgery performed at the accident and emergency centre at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi.
The surgery was performed by a team of 32 specialists from the Boston Children’s Hospital in the United States of America, in collaboration with their counterparts at KATH.
The team included Physicians, Nurses, Pharmacists and volunteers among others, who paid for their own airfares.
All the children including three who have already been discharged are responding to treatment.
The others, including a 13-year-old girl, who were still at the hospital at the time of going to the press, are likely to be discharged today, according to the leader of the team, Dr. Francis Fynn-Thompson.
The beneficiaries who reside in various parts of the country, were among others who were screened by the medical team when they arrived in the country last week end.
Since the exercise started three years ago, the hearts specialist from Boston Children Hospital and their KATH counterparts, have provided free heart surgery to about 44 Ghanaian children and others from the West African sub region.
According to Dr Fynn-Thompson, who took newsmen around to see the conditions of some of the patients, each of the patients would have paid $8000 for the operation.
He said patients who were operated since the exercise started always come for review " and are all doing well".
He said the team spends about $70,000.00 on each mission, and in terms of medical equipment and supplies, they have spent a total of $1million.
He said all equipment brought in for the exercise are left behind to enhance further exercises in future.
On why they selected Ghana in general and Kumasi in particular, he said "we started this programme because we felt that there were a large number of children with congenital heart diseases who did not have access to specific care that we can provide in the US.
We felt that we could provide that type of care, and also use the opportunity to train local Ghanaian counterpart with the requisite skills to adequately cater for such children".
The Chief Executive of KATH, Professor Ohene Adjei, commended Dr Fynn- Thompson and his team for their humanitarian gesture, saying "their presence is always seen as a blessing because we cannot imagine what would have happened to the children who had benefited from their gesture so far".
Fourteen children, suffering from various cardio vascular diseases, have benefited from a free open-heart surgery performed at the accident and emergency centre at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi.
The surgery was performed by a team of 32 specialists from the Boston Children’s Hospital in the United States of America, in collaboration with their counterparts at KATH.
The team included Physicians, Nurses, Pharmacists and volunteers among others, who paid for their own airfares.
All the children including three who have already been discharged are responding to treatment.
The others, including a 13-year-old girl, who were still at the hospital at the time of going to the press, are likely to be discharged today, according to the leader of the team, Dr. Francis Fynn-Thompson.
The beneficiaries who reside in various parts of the country, were among others who were screened by the medical team when they arrived in the country last week end.
Since the exercise started three years ago, the hearts specialist from Boston Children Hospital and their KATH counterparts, have provided free heart surgery to about 44 Ghanaian children and others from the West African sub region.
According to Dr Fynn-Thompson, who took newsmen around to see the conditions of some of the patients, each of the patients would have paid $8000 for the operation.
He said patients who were operated since the exercise started always come for review " and are all doing well".
He said the team spends about $70,000.00 on each mission, and in terms of medical equipment and supplies, they have spent a total of $1million.
He said all equipment brought in for the exercise are left behind to enhance further exercises in future.
On why they selected Ghana in general and Kumasi in particular, he said "we started this programme because we felt that there were a large number of children with congenital heart diseases who did not have access to specific care that we can provide in the US.
We felt that we could provide that type of care, and also use the opportunity to train local Ghanaian counterpart with the requisite skills to adequately cater for such children".
The Chief Executive of KATH, Professor Ohene Adjei, commended Dr Fynn- Thompson and his team for their humanitarian gesture, saying "their presence is always seen as a blessing because we cannot imagine what would have happened to the children who had benefited from their gesture so far".
Thursday, October 22, 2009
KINDERGARTEN GIRL KILLED BY 207 BENZ BUS (OCT 22, Pge 30)
A FIVE-year-old kindergarten girl died on the spot when a 207 Mercedes Benz bus ran over her at Asafo in Kumasi about five weeks ago.
She got trapped by the back tyres of the bus and smashed her head. The girl, an only child of her parents met her untimely death from the bus which was full of passengers.
The accident occurred behind the Neoplan Station which is one of the commercial hubs in the Kumasi metropolis.
The bus had just taken off from the Neoplan Station about a minute earlier, and was ascending a hill on the single lane adjacent to the station, while the deceased and her elder brother were on their way to buy food from a vendor at the station.
As they descended the road, they walked on the shoulders and passed by a number of Neoplan buses which had been parked along the road.
Just before they got to the food vendor, they attempted to cross to the other side of the road and the brother managed to do so on time. Unfortunately for the little girl who comes from Feyiase in the Bosomtwe district of the Ashanti Region, while trying to cross the road, the driver of the Benz bus which was approaching did not see her early enough to stop for her.
The drivers park their buses along the single lane road, adjacent to the station and other areas at Asafo. When their passengers alight, they leave the buses on these busy roads for hours.
This selfish attitude forces motorists and pedestrians to compete for the little space left, creating a lot of inconveniences which sometimes lead to fatal accidents.
Pedestrians, especially minors, who want to cross from one end of the road to the other at areas where the buses have taken over the roads are always at the mercy of drivers.
Apart from washing of vehicles on the Asafo roads, faulty vehicles are also repaired there. This situation causes spillage of oil onto the road.
The executive of Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) at the Asafo Neoplan Station have been notified on countless occasions about how their operations undermined road traffic regulations, especially the numerous accidents that results from the wrong parking of their buses at Asafo .
Anytime such fatal accident which could be traced to the door steps of drivers of the Neoplan Station occured at Asafo, officials from both the KMA and MTTU rush there, just to save their faces.
Under Act 462 section 79 of the KMA bye-laws, “no person shall spill oil on any road in the Metropolis”
On wrongful parking of vehicles. the KMA bye-laws state that, “every driver of a motor vehicle shall park his motor vehicle in the lorry park indicated to him“.
“Any person contravening any of the provisions of these bye-laws, “ according to the KMA “ shall be guilty on an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine of ¢ 100,000.00 or in default, to a term of imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months”.
When contacted on what the KMA was doing to curb the menace of the Neoplan Station drivers, the Transport Officer, Mr Atta Boafo said, the decongestion which started in earnest at the Central Business District would soon be extended to the Neoplan station.
She got trapped by the back tyres of the bus and smashed her head. The girl, an only child of her parents met her untimely death from the bus which was full of passengers.
The accident occurred behind the Neoplan Station which is one of the commercial hubs in the Kumasi metropolis.
The bus had just taken off from the Neoplan Station about a minute earlier, and was ascending a hill on the single lane adjacent to the station, while the deceased and her elder brother were on their way to buy food from a vendor at the station.
As they descended the road, they walked on the shoulders and passed by a number of Neoplan buses which had been parked along the road.
Just before they got to the food vendor, they attempted to cross to the other side of the road and the brother managed to do so on time. Unfortunately for the little girl who comes from Feyiase in the Bosomtwe district of the Ashanti Region, while trying to cross the road, the driver of the Benz bus which was approaching did not see her early enough to stop for her.
The drivers park their buses along the single lane road, adjacent to the station and other areas at Asafo. When their passengers alight, they leave the buses on these busy roads for hours.
This selfish attitude forces motorists and pedestrians to compete for the little space left, creating a lot of inconveniences which sometimes lead to fatal accidents.
Pedestrians, especially minors, who want to cross from one end of the road to the other at areas where the buses have taken over the roads are always at the mercy of drivers.
Apart from washing of vehicles on the Asafo roads, faulty vehicles are also repaired there. This situation causes spillage of oil onto the road.
The executive of Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) at the Asafo Neoplan Station have been notified on countless occasions about how their operations undermined road traffic regulations, especially the numerous accidents that results from the wrong parking of their buses at Asafo .
Anytime such fatal accident which could be traced to the door steps of drivers of the Neoplan Station occured at Asafo, officials from both the KMA and MTTU rush there, just to save their faces.
Under Act 462 section 79 of the KMA bye-laws, “no person shall spill oil on any road in the Metropolis”
On wrongful parking of vehicles. the KMA bye-laws state that, “every driver of a motor vehicle shall park his motor vehicle in the lorry park indicated to him“.
“Any person contravening any of the provisions of these bye-laws, “ according to the KMA “ shall be guilty on an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine of ¢ 100,000.00 or in default, to a term of imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months”.
When contacted on what the KMA was doing to curb the menace of the Neoplan Station drivers, the Transport Officer, Mr Atta Boafo said, the decongestion which started in earnest at the Central Business District would soon be extended to the Neoplan station.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
KOMFO ANOKYE TEACHING HOSPITAL UNDER PRESSURE (PAGE 30)
INADEQUATE facilities and logistics at public health institutions in the Kumasi metropolis have put pressure on the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), making it diffficult for medical workers there to deliver to the satisfaction of patients.
It is, therefore, important at this time for other health institutions in the metropolis to be adequately equipped to enable them complement KATH in providing quality health services.
The acting Chief Executive of KATH, Professor Ohene Adjei, told the Daily Graphic that unlike Accra where the 37 Military Hospital, the Police Hospital, the Ridge Hospital, the La Polyclinic, among others were adequately staffed with medical workers, logistics and facilities to complement the work of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in its healthcare delivery, Kumasi had only KATH.
He, therefore, appealed to the Ashanti Regional Director of Health Services to collaborate with the Ministry of Health to initiate projects that would strengthen public health institutions in the metropolis.
"When I took office, I realised that there were serious challenges affecting quality healthcare at both the KATH Polyclinic and laboratories," he stated, adding that problems at both places needed to be addressed, urgently to ensure that medical workers provided the kind of services their patients needed from them.
Prof. Adjei said these were two critical areas which needed serious attention, saying the polyclinic was always choked with patients, while the laboratories were not functioning due to the lack of reagents, adding that some of the equipment at the laboratories had also broken down, making it impossible for them to operate effectively.
He said due to inadequate logistics and facilities at the other public health institutions such as the Sofoline, Tafo, Manhyia and Agogo hospitals, even common malaria was sent to KATH for treatment, thus swelling the number of patients.
"This is affecting the quality of service delivery at KATH because it is the only public health institution with the capacity and medical staff to provide the requisite healthcare services for patients," he stated.
He said the problem at the polyclinic was the delay in serving patients and gave the assurance that his office was looking for means of addressing human resource constraints base to enhance quick service delivery.
It is, therefore, important at this time for other health institutions in the metropolis to be adequately equipped to enable them complement KATH in providing quality health services.
The acting Chief Executive of KATH, Professor Ohene Adjei, told the Daily Graphic that unlike Accra where the 37 Military Hospital, the Police Hospital, the Ridge Hospital, the La Polyclinic, among others were adequately staffed with medical workers, logistics and facilities to complement the work of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in its healthcare delivery, Kumasi had only KATH.
He, therefore, appealed to the Ashanti Regional Director of Health Services to collaborate with the Ministry of Health to initiate projects that would strengthen public health institutions in the metropolis.
"When I took office, I realised that there were serious challenges affecting quality healthcare at both the KATH Polyclinic and laboratories," he stated, adding that problems at both places needed to be addressed, urgently to ensure that medical workers provided the kind of services their patients needed from them.
Prof. Adjei said these were two critical areas which needed serious attention, saying the polyclinic was always choked with patients, while the laboratories were not functioning due to the lack of reagents, adding that some of the equipment at the laboratories had also broken down, making it impossible for them to operate effectively.
He said due to inadequate logistics and facilities at the other public health institutions such as the Sofoline, Tafo, Manhyia and Agogo hospitals, even common malaria was sent to KATH for treatment, thus swelling the number of patients.
"This is affecting the quality of service delivery at KATH because it is the only public health institution with the capacity and medical staff to provide the requisite healthcare services for patients," he stated.
He said the problem at the polyclinic was the delay in serving patients and gave the assurance that his office was looking for means of addressing human resource constraints base to enhance quick service delivery.
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