TAMALE TEACHING HOSPITAL TO GET NEUTOSURGICAL CENTRE (PAGE 29)

THE Tamale Teaching Hospital is to establish a neurosurgical unit to help in the treatment of diseases associated with the nerves.
A German trained Ghanaian Neurosurgeon, Dr Abass Adam, will head the specialised unit. Already, a 20-footer container of neurosurgical equipment and supplies, the shipment of which Dr Adam facilitated has arrived in the country.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the hospital, Dr Ken Sagoe, who announced this in Tamale at the weekend indicated that the neurosurgeon was scheduled to report at the hospital to take up his assignment in June this year.
The CEO was speaking during the presentation of medical equipment and items to the hospital by the Rotary Club of Tamale.
The GH¢ 1million worth of items were donated by Sister Rotarians in Canada, USA and the UK.
Currently, there are only 36 medical doctors working at the hospital instead of the required number of 120.
As a result, Dr Sagoe said the hospital was constrained in providing certain services during the night, since there was not enough staff to offer such services.
“Also, we are unable to undertake some basic surgeries since we lack those specialists,” he stated.
The CEO expressed optimism that the number of medical doctors would increase to 60 by the close of the year.
On the long awaited renovation of the hospital, which structures have deteriorated over the years, the deputy Northern Regional Minister, Mr Moses Mabengba, indicated that major rehabilitation work on the facility would commence soon.
He entreated the health personnel posted to the region to endeavour to accept such postings to ensure efficient health care in the region.
The minister also appealed to all feuding factions in the area to allow sanity to prevail to ensure lasting peace in the region to attract the needed professionals.
For his part, the Northern Regional Director of Health Services, Dr Akwasi Twumasi, said in connection with the intentions of the government, the consultants of the rehabilitation project had been given up to April 14, 2009 to submit the necessary documents on the present status of the hospital.
The hospital is the third teaching hospital in the country after the Korle Bu and Komfo Anokye hospitals.
It was established in 1974 to serve as a referral centre for the Northern, Upper East and West regions.