World Day of the Sick launched at Apam

The Most Reverend Matthias Kobena Nketsiah, Archbishop of Cape Coast, who launched the programme with the theme, “Go and do likewise”, said the Catholic Church was concerned about healing because it wanted to continue the work that Jesus Christ did while He was on the earth.

He urged health workers to make patients see God through them and added that sicknesses did not afflict only a few individuals but “everybody becomess sick one way or another”.

The Archbishop said healing was a collective responsibility and urged the health workers to work as a team.

 The Director of the Archdiocesan Health Service, Mr John Afful, said the church would soon inaugurate the seventh medical facility in the archdiocese and added that Mankessim Catholic Orthopedic Centre, which would soon be inaugurated, would be the fourth facility provided since the year 2000 in the archdiocese.

Mr Afful also said St Francis Xavier Hospital at Assin Foso was the first to be established in 1951, followed by Our Lady of Grace Hospital at Breman Asikuma in 1958 and St Luke Hospital at Apam in 1959.

He added that Mercy Rehabilitation Centre at Brafuyaw, near Cape Coast, was established in 2000 to cater for substance dependence (drug abuse), followed by St Gregory Hospital at Buduburam, which started as a clinic to cater for the Liberian Refugees and was upgraded to a hospital in 2002.

He said the Obstetric Fistula Hospital, also at Mankessim, which deals with complications arising from childbirth was inaugurated in 2010.

The Medical Superintendent of St Luke Hospital at Apam, Dr Ebenezer Amekah, said the theme for the celebration was taken from the story of the Good Samaritan who was attacked by highway robbers.

He cautioned health workers to desist from discriminating against patients and added that the World Day for the Sick was instituted by Pope John Paul II after he was shot by an assailant in 1992, to show love and compassion to the sick. He also urged health workers to place the interest of patients above their personal considerations.

Dr Mark Nii Lamptey, the Manager of Gomoaman Health Insurance Scheme, in a solidarity message, described the collaboration between the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and health facilities a cordial.

 The National President of Midwives Association and proprietress of Godfrey Memorial Maternity Home at Gomoa Ankamu, Mrs Joyce Jetuah, urged patients to follow strict medical instructions when seeking recovery.

Other Catholic health facilities in the archdiocese attended the launch.