Health Committee of Parliament lauds ADB Ghana Medical Systems Group’s cardiac centres

The Health Committee of Parliament has commended ADB Ghana Medical Systems Group for the good job done on the Cardiac Catheterisation Laboratory at the National Cardiothoracic Centre, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, and the ongoing project at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH).

The commendation followed an inspection tour of the projects by the Committee on October 13 and 14, respectively.

While the fully equipped facility at Korle Bu has been completed, the KATH project is expected to be ready by December this year.

The projects form part of efforts to expand access to specialised cardiac care beyond the capital, with another centre facility being built in Tamale to serve patients in the northern part of the country.

ADB Ghana Medical Systems Group, a Ghanaian-owned contractor, is undertaking the projects with locally-based personnel and expertise.

During the KATH visit in Kumasi, the Member of Parliament for Lambussie and Board Chair of Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Dr Titus Beyuo, commended the contractor for the progress made and urged it to expedite work to meet the December target.

He said the timely completion of the facility was important to improving access to specialised heart care, particularly for patients who might otherwise have to travel to Accra for treatment.

Dr Beyuo also stressed the need to train specialised health professionals to operate the facility, noting that infrastructure development must be matched with the availability of skilled personnel.

He praised President John Dramani Mahama for the initiative to establish cardiac catheterisation laboratories outside Accra, saying the expansion would help address gaps in access to critical cardiac services.

He said the initiative was prompted by the death of a doctor associated with KATH, which highlighted the need to make cardiac catheterisation services more accessible.

“We will thank President Mahama. The reason why he brought cath labs to Ghana began from here.

It was after one doctor from here lost his life,” he said.

Dr Beyuo said the President had indicated that the facilities should not be limited to Korle Bu but should also be established in other parts of the country, including the Northern Region.

He further urged the contractor to maintain the pace of work and ensure that the KATH centre was completed on schedule, alongside preparations to train personnel who would operate the facility.

At the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, the committee inspected the completed facility, which is expected to strengthen the hospital’s capacity to provide specialised interventions for patients with heart conditions.

Beyond the cardiac projects, ADB Ghana Medical Systems Group is also contributing to the development of specialised healthcare infrastructure in the Ashanti Region through its involvement in the $100 million Otumfuo Cancer Centre project in Kumasi.