HOLY FAMILY HOSPITAL - A HOME OF HEALING AND COMPASSION CELEBRATES 70TH ANNIVERSARY
The Holy Family Hospital in the Berekum Municipality of the Brong Ahafo Region on 18th December, 2018 has celebrated their 70th anniversary. Many people describe the Hospital as a home of healing and compassion, a facility which serve the sick with Christ-Centered passion and humility has been successful steadily on clockwork for the past 70 years.
The Omanhene of Berekum Traditionl Area, Dasebre Dr. Amankona Dewuo II together with his entourage Omanhemaa of Berekum Nana Akosua Ameyaahene III, and all the sub-chiefs of Berekum Traditionl Council were present to grace the occasion. The Omanhene of Berekum in his speech as the Chairman of the occasion, thanked the management of the hospital for the hard work done to bring the hospital to this far. Dasebre Dr. Amankona Dewuo II, who has worked at the hospital for some time past urged the management and staff to keep on with the quality health care delivery in the Municipality. Speaking on the theme for the occasion, "Excellent HealthCare, 70th Years and Beyond" he said, quality healthcare is a shared responsibility and called on the government and individuals to support the hospital. He said now that the hospital has achieved secondary status, it has to be supported in many ways in terms of equipments to deliver their best.
He said Nananom has considered to name the hospital road to the 3 Mission Sisters who came from American to start the hospital. The road is now called 3 Mission Sisters Road and suggested that the hospital authorities should consider naming one of it's streets to Dr Palletier.
He also thanked Dr. Palletier who was at the occasion for her hard work and contribution towards the hospital.
The Administrator of the hospital, Rev. Sister Reena Vadakkeparambil John, said Holy Family Hospital today celebrating a milestone in the history of the hospital. She said for 70 years the hospital has committed to a quality health care to the people of Berekum and beyond. Rev. Sister Reena V. John, siad today's occasion is a celebration of the fruits of collaborative efforts and services of a number of dedicated people who through diverse ways, contributed to make a Holy Family Hospital outstanding in health service delivery and training.
She added that, Holy Family Hospital is one of the best hospitals in the country as a Christian Health Facility. The hospital has 162 inpatient beds and another 100 bed capacity maternity unit is under construction of which the first phase will be commissioned today.
Holy Family Hospital in terms of service delivery, the hospital has an average annual Out-patient-Department (OPD) attendance of 100,000 and 2,700 deliveries. She said, the hospital offer specialty services in general surgery, Internal Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Paediatric, Dental, Ophthalmology, Dermatology, Orthopedic and Urology.
Holy Family Hospital has been accredited the secondary health facility by the Health Facility Regulatory Authority (HeFRA) in the country. The Secondary level facility is equal to regional hospital status making it one of the first Christain Health Association of Ghana (CHAG)facilities to be lifted to this status.
Holy Family Hospital has achieved a lot of successes and is the first Hospital in Ghana to fully operate Electronic-Folder System for both OPD and In-patients services. Apart from the quality health care services, the hospital provide house officer's and residents' training for both native and expatriate medical students. A number of nursing, midwifery and allied health training Institutions have been affiliated to the hospital for practical training and examinations.
CHALLENGES OF THE HOSPITAL
The Administrator Rev. Sister Reena V John continued to suffixes on the challenges the hospital is still going through for the past 70 years. She pointed out that, the facility is faced with lack of funding because it solely relies on the reimbursement by the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) which is always in arrears for more months. This has resulted in a situation where the hospital is always in debt to it's supplies which some even refuse to supply medicines and consumables to them.
Following on the heels of challenges, the hospital infrastructural development is insufficient and the support only come from the church which is not enough.
Power fluctuations at the hospital has lead to breakdown of some equipments in a daily basis which she called for support to solve this power fluctuations challenges.
Rev. Sister Reena promised that, after Berekum Holy Family Hospital has achieved secondary level status, they will work hard to attain the next level of the first Tertiary Mission Hospital for the people in the rural settlement in Ghana.
She said though the hospital is faced with so many challenges but called for the support of the government, corporate agencies, stakeholders and individuals to help the hospital with infrastructure, medical equipments such as incubators, photo therapy machine, delivery beds and other medical equipments.
She concluded her speech by thanking the facility development partners including, Stitching Berekum, Association of Health Professionals from the Netherlands, the Ministry of Health, Ghana Health Service, CHAG, NCHS, Regional Health Directorate, Berekumman Citizens Association, Political Leaders MCE and MP of Berekum East and VRA/NEDCo for their support in bringing the facility.
The Minster of Health, Hon. Kwaku Agyemang Manu who was the Special Gust of Honour congratulated Holy Family Hospital for achieving the Secondary Health Facility status.
He said, for the hospital to achieve this, it calls for hard work and urged the staff to keep up with the quality health services for the people of Berekum and beyond.
He pledged that, together with the two MP's of Berekum East and West respectively they will help bring hospital equipments that befits the hospital's secondary status so that it can deliver the best services to the people and not only that but send a specialist to the hospital to support the quality health services.
He said the NPP government is to construct more Chip Compounds in the country and Berekum will not be left out. He once again commended the facility for introducing e-folders which has reduced patients waiting time at the OPD. He said the government has also started piloting the e-folder system in the central region and this has reduced the number of time people waist at the OPD's.
He said the National Health Insurance Authority will be reviewing it's claims and very soon hospitals will see changes in NHIS.
He called on the people of Berekum to participate in program like this nature since the hospital is theirs and advised them to always come to the aid of the hospital.
Most Rev. Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, Bishop of the Sunyani Catholic Diocese also congratulated and thanked all the Medical Mission Sisters who 70 years ago successfully came to Berekum to start this hospital. He said Holy Family Hospital for all these years has delivered the best when it comes to quality Health services.
Most Rev. Bishop Kwasi Gyamfi made an appeal to the ministry of health, the Ghana Health Services and the National Health Insurance Scheme to have a second look at it's current payment policiy and to be fair and just to mission hospitals who provides a wide range of specialist services for our brothers and sisters in the rural areas who for obvious reasons will not go to big towns and cities.
He called on NHIS to pay the commensurate amount for any specialist procedure performed in the hospital as they pay for specialist procedure in the secondary or referral hospitals in Ghana.
The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of Berekum East, Hon. Kofi Adjei on his part said the hospital has been a compassion home for many people and it has save a lot of lives for many people living within and outside the Municipality.
He also promised to support the hospital by tiling the roads in the hospital.
The MP for Berekum East, Hon. Dr Kwabena Twum Nuamah who said the hospital has helped him to save his life for several times was excited to see the hospital celebrating 70th anniversary. In his speech said he has contributed a lot to the hospital as it was through her effort the facility had an Anesthesia Machine in 2005 and also with his initiative talked to the Berekum people living in United Kingdom (UK) to supply the hospital with equipments to the surgical ward.
Dr. Twum Nuamah added that at the time when the administration block was ripped off by a heavy thunderstorm, he contributed his quota for the re-construction of the block.
The MP who is also the chairman of parliementry select committed on Health together with his wife donated one brand new incubator wealth about Ghc15,000 to the hospital and promised to render his support to the hospital when necessary.
Berekumman Citizens Association members were present and the founder, Evangelist Paul Osei Agyemang on behalf of the Association also expressed his satisfaction to see the hospital for chalking a 70 year milestone of health care delivery of community and rural health services in the country.
He said, the Association which has development at his heart has contributed a lot to the Golden city progress in terms of Education, Water and Sanitation.
He said the Association is much focus on health and said, as the hospital is celebrating 70 years, the Association is poised to contribute to the progress of the hospital because its members both Ghana and abroad are ready to see that quality health care is delivered to the people of Berekum.
The founder on behalf of the Association presented a brand new incubator wealth about Ghc15,500.00 and 2 Breast-i cancer machines of about Ghc 3,000.00 to the hospital.
He again pleaded on the Minister of Health, Hon. Kwaku Agyemang Manu and the 2 MP's in Berekum East and West to increase the 13 kilometers road Construction which is yet to be started in Berekum.
Berekumman Citizens Association presenting their Incubator & 2 Breast I Machine
The Sunyani chapter of Rotary club on their part also contributed something to the hospital.
Another Association in Berekum by name Berekum Youth for Accountability and Development also donated Ghc 5000.00 to the hospital and promised to give more whenever necessary.
The deginitries led by the Omanhene of Berekum, Dasebre Dr. Amankona Dewuo II, Nana Akosua Ameyaahene III, the Omanhemaa, the Minister of Health, Dr. Kwaku Agyemang Manu, Bishop of Sunyani Diocese, Most Rev. Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, MP for Berekum East, Dr. Kwabena Twum Nuamah, MCE of Berekum, Hon. Kofi Adjei, and the hospital management led by Rev. Sister Reena V. John Commissioned the Ultra-morden 100 bed capacity maternity block for the hospital.
Story by Opamogo Paparichy (Rev) Ghana Berekum B/A
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