The Administrator of Ghana Medical Trust Fund also known as MahamaCares, Madam Obuobia Darko-Opoku, has reaffirmed the fund’s commitment to strengthening Ghana’s health infrastructure with the commencement of installation works on a new state-of-the-art Catheterization Laboratory (Cath Lab) at the National Cardiothoracic Centre, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.
Speaking at a site handover ceremony, she said the intervention was prompted by the urgent need to restore life-saving cardiac services at the National Cardiothoracic Centre (NCTC) after its previous Cath Lab was destroyed by fire earlier last year.
“Korle Bu is not just a national asset; it is a regional lifeline,” Madam Darko-Opoku noted, adding that restoring the facility aligns with the Fund’s mandate to support essential healthcare infrastructure.
She described the project as a timely response to the growing burden of cardiac disease and the pressure on healthcare workers.
“The loss of the Cath Lab was a major setback not only for Korle Bu, but for the entire country,” Dr. Yakubu Seidu Adam CEO of KBTH said.
“This installation demonstrates our collective resolve to restore specialized, life-saving services swiftly and ensure they are better protected going forward.”
The new Cath Lab, being implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Health and MahamaCares, is expected to be commissioned by the end of the first quarter of 2026 and will restore the NCTC’s capacity to perform minimally invasive cardiac procedures.
Following the March 7, 2025 fire that destroyed the centre’s 2017-installed Cath Lab, clinicians have operated under severe constraints. “The Cath Lab is the bread and butter of modern cardiology,” said, the Director of NCTC Dr. Kow Enstua-Mensah.
Representing the Ministry of Health, Mr. Kwame Amponsah Sarfo, Head of the Capital Investment Project Management Unit (CIPMU), reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to supporting Korle Bu Teaching Hospital to operate at full capacity. The project will be undertaken by ADB Medical Service Group.
A middle-aged patient, Mrs Doris Adjei, has celebrated her recovery journey at Korle Bu’s Department of Surgery by donating five (5) suction electric apparatus to the facility. She was supported by her mother, Mrs. Victoria Doku, who mentioned that the gesture is their token of gratitude and appreciation to the doctors and nurses of the Department's Neuroscience Unit, for their dedication, professionalism, and compassionate care during her treatment.
Receiving the machines on behalf of the department, Dr. Patrick Bankah, Head of the Department of Surgery, who also doubles as the head of Neurosurgeon Unit, expressed heartfelt appreciation to the patient for giving back. This, he said, demonstrates the hospital's commitment to deliver top-notch healthcare services.
Dr. Bankah also made a passionate appeal to individuals, organizations, and corporate bodies to support the growth and development of the Department of Surgery and the hospital at large. Emphasizing that Korle Bu Teaching Hospital is a national asset requiring the contribution and support of every stakeholder to improve the delivery of quality and seamless healthcare services.
Others present at the ceremony were: Christabel Thompson – Chief Nursing Officer, Elsie Sandra Folie – Principal Nursing Officer, Priscilla Lawer – Principal Administrative Manager, Esther Orji – from Stores.
An international team of medical experts has conducted a specialized training session at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital aimed at improving male circumcision practices and reducing complications, particularly among newborns.
The training was facilitated by Mr. Abdulsalam Mohammed Daaru, Acting Head of Nursing and Midwifery Audit, following his participation in similar training programs in the United States of America. The team, led by Dr. David R. Tomlinson, MD, Clinical Assistant Professor of Family Medicine, in collaboration with Friends of Adaklu from the Volta Region, brought together 66 doctors, nurses, and midwives. Notable participants included Dr. Wilson Agbavor, Medical Director of Fountain Medical Service; Mr. George Laing, a renowned plastic surgeon; and Chief Nursing Officers Ernestina Asamoah and Mavis Torgbor of Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.
The program sought to promote safer, standardized circumcision procedures in line with World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations, while also reducing healthcare costs and medical waste. Organizers noted that the initiative was necessary due to reported complications arising from unsafe circumcision practices in several countries, including severe cases of penile injury.
Participants were introduced to a simplified circumcision technique using the AccuCirc device, invented by Dr. David Tomlinson of the Special Circ Center. Dr. Tomlinson originally trained as a mechanical engineer in the U.S. Navy before qualifying as a physician.
The AccuCirc device has proven to be minimally invasive, highly accurate, and safer, with consistent outcomes, reduced costs, and a lower risk of bleeding. It is also widely preferred by healthcare providers.
The training emphasized education rather than enforcement, encouraging health workers to support parents and caregivers in making informed decisions, particularly in communities where circumcision is traditionally delayed until later childhood. Discussions also focused on integrating circumcision education into midwifery and healthcare training curricula, as well as plans to introduce certification and standardization for providers.
Participants expressed appreciation for the hands-on nature of the training and the practical insights gained from the facilitators. Many noted that the use of the AccuCirc device would significantly enhance their confidence and competence in performing safer circumcision procedures, especially for newborns. They also welcomed the opportunity to engage with international experts and share experiences that would improve service delivery across their respective facilities.
Mrs. Aimee Akotey, Director of Nursing and Midwifery Services, commended the organizers, stating that the initiative would significantly improve male circumcision outcomes at the Hospital.
Health Quarters Ghana support to boost Korle Bu expertise – Dr. Nketiah
The Head of the Polyclinic/Family Medicine Department of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Dr George Bediako Nketiah, has said that logistical support from Health Quarters Ghana will help unlock and maximise the vast human resource capacity of the hospital to deliver quality healthcare.
According to him, while the expertise to manage critical cases, including palliative care, exists at Korle Bu, inadequate infrastructure and equipment often limit the effective utilisation of this capacity.
“Every critical case that requires palliative care, the expertise is available. We have the people, but what we lack are the tools and infrastructure. This support is therefore critical in enabling us deliver seamless and quality healthcare,” Dr Nketiah stated.
Dr. George Nketiah was speaking at a brief presentation ceremony where Health Quarters Ghana, a social enterprise organisation that promotes healthcare through digital platforms and community interventions, donated medical equipment to the Polyclinic/Family Medicine Department.
The items donated, which is estimated to cost GH50,000, comprised three crank hospital beds, five American-standard manual wheelchairs, five infrared gun thermometers, three pulse oximeters and five blood pressure apparatuses.
Dr Nketiah expressed gratitude to Health Quarters Ghana for the timely support, noting that the department continues to face challenges that affect efficient and effective service delivery. He appealed for sustained assistance to help address the growing healthcare needs of patients.
The Project Lead of Health Quarters Ghana, Dr Gideon Assan, a Family Physician Specialist, said the donation was motivated by his personal attachment to the department, where he had part of his professional training.
He said the organisation’s immediate focus was to support the Geriatric Clinic, with plans to extend assistance to the Palliative Care Clinic.
Dr Assan thanked the organisation’s partners, particularly McSarpong Medical Equipment & Supplies Company Limited, for providing most of the donated items. He also acknowledged the support of team members, including medical professionals, a legal practitioner, and Ghanaian comedian Clemento Suarez, who contributed to the initiative.
Korle Bu Teaching Hospital has taken a significant step toward shaping its future with the launch of its 2026–2030 strategic planning process. The inception meeting, held on 1st December 2025, brought together members of the Strategic Plan Development Committee and other key stakeholders, marking the start of what is expected to be one of the hospital’s most comprehensive planning exercises in recent years.
Presiding over the meeting, the Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Yakubu Seidu Adam, stressed the urgent need for a clear and purposeful roadmap as the current strategic plan comes to an end this year. He reiterated that without a strong framework, the hospital risks operating without measurable progress, and he outlined the institution’s intention to sharpen its focus on essential areas such as staff development and clinical care.
Dr. Adam emphasised the need for clear clinical standards and called for broad involvement from Heads of Administration, Directors, and external consultants to ensure the plan reflects the full spectrum of the hospital’s operations and ambitions.
Adding depth to the discussion, Mr. Pius Agbeviadey, Acting Deputy Director of PPME, outlined the roadmap for developing the new plan. He revealed that a review of the hospital’s vision and mission is already under way. Korle Bu, he said, is positioning itself to become a leading hub for advanced, specialised, and complex medical care, offering cutting-edge and even experimental procedures often unavailable at typical tertiary hospitals. Evaluating the hospital’s progress since 2020 will form a crucial part of the preparation phase.
The meeting also introduced the structure guiding the planning process. A dedicated Working Group of technical experts will lead the drafting of the plan, with the flexibility to form subcommittees and draw on external expertise as needed. This committee includes Dr. Frank Owusu Sekyere, serving as Chairman, alongside key members such as Mr. Munir Alhassan, Mr. Yehuza Jawula, Dr. Harry Akoto, Mr. Pius Agbeviadey, Dr. Philip Amo, Dr. Bernice Addom, Dr. Elorm Otchi, Dr. Lloyd Baffoe, Dr. Francisca Zigah, Mr. Benjamin Amu Doodu, Mr. Mustapha Salifu, Mr. Felix Debrah, and Mr. Khalil Bawah, with Miss Ivy McArthur-Danquah acting as Secretary. Their diverse expertise spans administration, clinical care, public health, biomedical engineering, pharmacy, quality improvement, and communications, ensuring that the strategic plan will reflect the hospital’s full operational spectrum.
With the planning process now officially under way and guided by this dedicated committee, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital enters a pivotal moment in its institutional journey, one that promises to define its direction, ambitions, and priorities over the next five years.
