Korle Bu renovates orthopaedic ward
The Korle Bu Teaching Hospital has renovated and inaugurated a 20-bed male orthopaedic ward at the Trauma and Orthopaedic Department.
Known as Ward D, the GH¢700,000 renovation was done with funds generated at the centre and support from the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the hospital, Dr Opoku Ware Ampomah, and a number of external partners.
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It is the first major renovation of the ward in more than 90 years.
At the inaugural ceremony in Accra, the Head of the Accident, Emergency and Orthopaedics Department, Dr Frederick Kwarteng, said the Trauma and Orthopaedic Department invested profit from the sale of orthopaedic implants and its maintenance revenue allocated to it into the project.
The scope of work included a complete restoration of the roofing and ceiling, demolition and replacement of all electrical and plumbing infrastructures.
It also included the replacement of all facilities in the wards such as beds, workstations, floor furnishings and washroom facilities.
Dr Kwarteng said the installation of mobile monitors made it the only ward within the 200-bed department with such a facility.
He said 10 out of the 20 new beds were donated by the CEO of the hospital.
Dr Kwarteng said the stride was achieved through collaboration between other management team members and himself, and expressed gratitude to them for their support.
He also expressed gratitude to Dr Ampomah for his unflinching support for the initiative.
Deplorable beyond limit
He said the ward was the place where almost all accident and trauma patients who required specialised medical care at the hospital were admitted to.
But Dr Kwarteng said prior to its renovation, many patients had refused admission to the ward due to its deplorable nature.
He said only those who had no option due to their economic status accepted admission to the ward but refused to use the washrooms.
New Korle Bu dream
Speaking at the function, Dr Ampomah applauded Dr Kwarteng for displaying “solid leadership” by facilitating the renovation exercise.
He said although the hospital was sometimes in the media for the wrong reasons, that was not true reflection of the hospital, and explained that the current achievement of the Trauma and Orthopaedic Department was an indication that with the enabling environment, the hospital would deliver more than it was doing in spite of the constraints and challenges.
He said the delivery of excellent healthcare services plus customer satisfaction were a major priority to the hospital.
“I will like these to serve as an example to all departments that the time for excuses is over. We now have to pave the way for a new Korle Bu.
“A place where patients will be treated courteously and with respects, kindness and do our best to ensure that patients have good experiences and leave with good memories.
“Let us say goodbye to the old Korle Bu and embrace this new future we look forward to,” he said.
He asked the staff of the hospital to be guided by the fact that although they were staff today, they could be patients tomorrow and the same system they created today was what they would have to go through.
The CEO appealed to the staff of the hospital to do retrospection and find out how they could make a difference in service delivery at the facility.
Dr Ampomah also commended the fact that staff welfare was taken into consideration during the renovation, indicating that when the staff were well catered for they would in turn cater well for patients.
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