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The National Catholic Health Service recommends that celebrations of get together be carried out to help health practitioners and all health workers to ease stress, dine, make merry and to appreciate the Good Lord for his magnanimous mercies and loving kindness shown them throughout the year and to ask God to keep his mercies and love on them and to prepare them sufficiently for the task ahead.
In that regard, the management of the West Gonja Catholic Hospital in Damongo in the Savannah regional capital organized a get together party on Friday 21st January, 2022, at the hospital’s canteen for staff and retirees of the facility, for them to dine and make merry to ward off the stress and pressures they had endured in the past years.
The Administrator of the hospital, Mr. Frank Korsah in a welcome address explained that, the core mandate of the hospital as a health service agency is to carry out approved national health policies for health delivery and to also accelerate access to quality health care services.
He added that the institution has managed judiciously, the resources available to them for the provision of quality health services and that, it is an undeniably fact that the have all worked hard throughout the year 2021 under great pressure and stressful conditions with increased workload especially, when they had to work in the straining conditions of Covid–19 which they are still adopting to the new normal life and the recent yellow fever outbreak.
On Administration and Human Resource Development, the Administrator indicated that human resource development remains a paramount objective in any institution and for that matter West Gonja Hospital ensure that staff are always abreast with current knowledge and information to be able to deliver quality work performance. He said the hospital held successful series of in-service trainings for their staff and at some points, sponsored some to attend workshops and training programs outside the hospital and the municipality to upgrade their knowledge and skills in the areas of Infection Prevention and Control, Occupational Health and Safety,
Helping Babies Breathe and Management of Birth Asphyxia.
Mr. Frank again explained that, Staff who served for the minimum required years were granted study leave with pay to pursue higher education so that they can upgrade themselves with higher skills and knowledge for better productivity.
He also disclosed that the staffing capacity currently for the hospital stands over three hundred (300) staff, with nine (9) medical officers out of which three ( 3) are specialist. The hospital has over the years on contract basis, engaged a pharmacist and sonographer who are contributing tremendously towards quality health services delivery.
Mr Frank further disclosed that, the hospital as part of it’s efforts to stay to provide the best quality health care services has put up some capital projects such as a provision shop and an in-patient pharmacy with the primary view of assisting the poor and sick who may not be able to afford their bills from the proceeds that may be generated from the shop and to cover service for in-patients in the facility by easing the inconveniences of queueing with out-patients at the out-patient department.
As part of the responsive measures to combating the Covid-19 pandemic, the Administrator noted that a Covid-19 testing unit was created in the hospital with support from the Municipal Assembly and the Regional Health Directorate who helped to equip the unit with Gene Expert Machine to assist testing and confirm results of cases.
He commended the Bishop of the Diocese, Most Rev. Peter Paul Angkyier, the regional health Directorate, Municipal health Directorate, Regional Coordinating Council, Municipal Assembly,
Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG), United Nation International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), philanthropists,
National Catholic Health Service and Donor Partners – Mustangh, for their enormous support, contributions and assistance towards the development of the hospital.
The Municipal health Director, Mrs Gertrude Yentumi on behalf of the mumicipal health Directorate commended the planning committee of the hospital for instituting this year’s get together party for the staff and thanked the management of the Hospital for their role played in managing Covid-19 and the yellow fever outbreak and promised that, the relationship that existed between them will be deppened to enhance quality health care delivery in the municipality since 2022 will be fruitful year for all.
The Catholic Bishop of the Damongo Diocese, Most Rev. Peter Paul Angkyier in brief explained that, the establishment of the hospital was inspired by the church’s call to mission and in conformity of Christ’s ministry of physical, spiritual and holy healing.
…..” the message of Christ invites us to live together in community and to live for one another which is the only way by which we accomplish what he has given to us” he said.
He added that, giving service to the sick at the hospital, living with one another and living for each other in their services to the hospital as staff are all cognited and linked up because God has a purpose.
Most Rev. Peter Paul Angkyier commended the staff who accepted postings to the hospital and urged them to live for each other in order to allow the spirit of Christ under who’s mission they are sharing to influence them and continued that though, the are working to earn a living and for personal development, working in its self is to give service and to develop others.
He appealed to the staff to see their presence at the facility as providential as it was ordained by God who has a mission and purpose for them which is linked with other and that, a new year is a new beginning and a new opportunity to improve on themselves and that of the community.
Retirees for the year 2021 and some staff of the hospital totalling eight (8) were awarded with Mr. Sumani Nashira winning the
best performing staff award (Clinical) junior staff category and overall best nurse award and payment of Diocesan allowance to staff in appreciation of the committed efforts to service rendering that staffs give to clients of the hospital has in the year been obliged and with on call allowances to staff who availed for work outside the normal hours of work.
Present at this year’s get together party were the normalization committee chairman, Rev. Fr. Lazarus Annyereh, the Diocesan health Director, Mr Aiden Ngmenbon, The Diocesan Development Coordinator, Rev. Fr. Sylvester Kuubetersuur, officials from the regional and municipal health directorates, heads of the security services and staff of peace and development Radio (PADFM 95.1mhz).
Source:padfm.com.gh /Kumatey Gorden
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