An ultra modern Accident and Emergency Centre being constructed by the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) is to be ready by December 2007, making it available for usage during next year’s Cup of African Nations (CAN 2008) in Ghana.
The project is about76 percent complete and currently being equipped with modern gadgets.
It is to help put KATH in a position to be able to handle ordinary and mass casualty cases, in case any should occur during the tournament period.
Dr Anthony Nsiah Asare, Chief Executive of the hospital, who made this known at a mid-year performance review meeting of the hospital in Kumasi mentioned that, a number of staff in the hospital have also undergone training in mass casualty and the hospital was in the process of training more.
He said the hospital has positioned itself to be able to handle medical cases during the tournament period and added that, the move was not only for CAN 2008 but formed part of an overall strategy to turn the hospital into a modern “centre of excellence” in the provision of clinical and non clinical services comparable to international standards.
The Accident and Emergency Centre has been equipped with a helipad on top of the building where helicopters could easily land to drop and pick patients.
Consar Limited is the contractor working on the project.
Dr Asare said so far eight nurses have received training in Israel to support the Accident and Emergency Centre and three more have been sent to South Africa to also train in handling casualty cases. These nurses are expected to serve as trainer of trainees on their return to the country.
He noted that many patients die in trauma cases because of the lack of proper handling and requisite equipment to help take care of them; hence the construction of the modern facility at the hospital was welcome news.
He said hospital has been receiving support from the Israeli government and that it was currently collaborating with it to use the Accident and Emergency Centre as a training centre in mass casualty not only for Ghana but the entire West African region. The Israeli government in 2002 helped to set up a trauma centre at KATH and subsequently helped to train six staff to help man the place.
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