HOLY FAMILY HOSPITAL IN BEREKUM IS 70 YEARS OLD
The Berekum Holy Family Hospital in the Berekum East Municipal of the Brong Ahafo Region is now 70 years old. The Administrator of the Hospital, Sister Reena V. John has described how the hospital started in 24th April, 1948 in a very humble beginning and has chalked a great success of becoming a Secondary Health Facility to the status of a Regional Hospital which will be unveiled during the 70th anniversary celebration on the 18th of December, 2018. She said with the support from donor organizations and individuals, the Hospital is striding in Health Services within it's catchment area in the Brong Ahafo Region.
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE HOSPITAL
The Hospital was established througuh the kindest efforts of the late Paramount Chief of Berekum Traditional Area, Nana Yiadom Boakye II whose foresight and ingenuity made the hospital became a reality.
Nana Yiadom Boakye II with his good relationship with the Catholic Diocese Bishop of Kumasi and in his frequent request to the Bishop, His Lordship Hubert Paulissen, called for the First Three Medical Mission Sisters from Philadelphia in USA namely Sister Margaret Mary, Sister Mary Paula and Sister Mary Raphael to start a Dispensary unit in Berekum. They were the first Medical Mission Sisters to step on the soil of "Abibiman" that's Africa.
The then Berekumhene, Nana Boakye earmarked a site to be used as a Dispensary. The people of Berekum received the good news with joy and decided to support the project through a communal labour. The Berekum Traditional Council on the 26th of April, 1948 welcomed the sisters officially during the time when F.F.C. du Sautoy was the District Commissioner. The people of Berekum on their own also welcomed the sisters officially on 28th April, 1948.
Due to the Second World War, the sisters in their arrival speech said, they could have arrived earlier but the second world war delayed them.
At the time of their coming, Berekum was being challenged with communicable Diseases and guinea worms. The only Hospital nearby was the Sunyani Government hospital with 10 beds. The fewer beds coupled with bad road for transporting patients to Sunyani caused a lot of deaths in the Municipality.
In October 12, 1950, Dr. Leon Adcock, the first Medical Officer came to assist the sisters.
Nana Yiadom Boakye II showed a great interest in the activities of the sisters and always called for a communal labour to support them. He assisted in obtaining an amount of £7,000 grant from the Aluminum Company in Accra to handle some of the challenges of the Hospital.
Other grants were received from Germany and the Netherlands and some sisters from overseas.
Mother Anna Dengel who founded the Medical Mission Sisters visited us in Berekum twice in 22nd January, 1950 and 20th August 1956 to see the work her visiting sisters were doing and encouraged the Traditional Authorities to build the dispensary as well as wards to support the health delivery in Berekum.
Nana, who was the brain behind the establishment of the hospital in Berekum always used to talk to the sisters and the workers to motivate them to keep up the good work they were doing.
THE PIONEER SISTERS' EXPERIENCE.
Sister Paula D'Errico on behalf of the other Sisters who initiated the Hospital, thanked God and the ancestors of the Paramount State of Berekum and bless God on the view that medical care and health services could reach all the people of Berekum and its environs.
She said, she remembered that somewhere 24th April, 1948, they took a long ride from Kumasi to Berekum in Bishop Paulissen's pick-up. On the way to Berekum, they stopped at Bechem for lunch and the next stop was at the outskirts of Berekum town. She said, they got down from the vehicle and made the rest of the trip on foot. Clothes where stretched across the road from end to end welcoming them to our new home in these words "welcome to Berekum.........Akwaaba Sisters."
At the grand durbour, Nana Berekumhene, his sub Chiefs, Biadan sub-chiefs, Elders of Berekum, Nsoatre, Jinijini, Kwasiboukrom, Drobo, Fiapre and some Chiefs from Dormaa Ahenkro were all present. It was through the efforts of Nana Berekumhene and his Elders and that is why we found ourselves here in Berekum.
Constant and numerous request were made to the Bishop of Kumasi, His Lordship Hubert Paulissen, about the urgent medical and health needs of the people of Berekum and it's villages. His Lordship then made known through correspondence to our Foundress and Superior General, mother Anna Dengel. The request was mainly for medical and health care with the emphasis on Maternal and Child Health Care.
In the process a call for help came, "please Sisters, the small boy wants to come", the urgent call was to save a baby in delivery and what an excitement when Sister Margret Mary delivered the small boy in the Sisters lavatory. The boy was named Hubert after the Bishop who brought the Sisters to Berekum. The boy now a man is called Brandford Diawuo or Kwaku Doctor of Jinijini.
The work they did received a lot of appreciation from the Berekum people. Which they presented items like Chicken, eggs, yam, oranges, banana and other items to the sisters.
They showed their gratitude to the Sunyani Diocesan Bishop, His Lordship James Kwadwo Owusu for his assistance and support. They admired his deep concern for the health care of his flocks throughout the Diocese of Sunyani.
Berekum Holy Family Hospital the first Ghanaian Christian Health Institution to be established in the country is now a Diocesan Hospital and has all the needed staff at post.
HISTORY OF BEREKUM HOLY FAMILY HOSPITAL.
As early as 1935, Bishop Paulissen from Kumasi met Mother Anna Dengel in the Netherlands and had asked when she could send Sisters to his Diocese. Mother Superior told the Bishop that she will keep his request in mind and when the opportunity comes, she would send some. She later assured the Bishop of her intention. Upon his arrival in Berekum he informed the people about the Sisters visit. He advised them to put up a house and a dispensary so that when the Sisters come, they will have a place to begin work. But then the world war II has started and so they could not come until 1948. By hard work the Berekum people built the house and the dispensary and has the grounds beautifully landscaped and the house furnished with flowers to welcome the Sisters.
The three sisters in April, 1948 had arrived in Berekum to start the dispensary. Sister Margaret Mary, S.R.N-Midwife, Sister Paula, S.R.N and Sister Raphael BSc Pharmacy. Patients and mothers for delivery were attended to by the Sisters.
By November 1948, a call for more help was sent and Sister Camillus, S.R.N was assigned from USA and she arrived in Gold Coast, March 30th, 1949, but due to transportation challenges she reported in Berekum on 4th December, 1949.
The struggle started with the language barrier as the sick and deliveries continued. Water supply was also inadequate in Berekum.
The Sisters took turns answering calls and caring for patients suffering from Malaria, Typhoid Fever and Hepatitis.
In 1950, Jinijini had epidemic of smallpox. The then Jinijinihene together with Berekumhene, made an arrangements with a driver to take one of the Sisters to the isolation area on a nearby hill to bring a relief to those isolated during the outbreak.
In October, 1950, the Doctors Leon and Madeline Adcock arrived in Berekum. They were eager to start surgery but due to lack of facilities it delayed.
Later in 1951, Sister Laetitia arrived in Berekum to determine what type of services were needed in Berekum. It was concluded that a general hospital with all the services was needed. She immediately bought 50 bags of cement and began hauling sand and cleared the grounds. It took them 5 months for a building to be started. By early 1952, some surgeries were conducted atfter the outpatient clinic was completed with inadequate lighting. The windows has to be screen and the room be scrubbed. The Sisters living room was converted into an operation room. They secured a sterilizer instruments, head light for the doctors and a scrub nurse.
After a surgical operation, one of the Sisters has to stay with the patients after the surgery throughout the first night. The patients were then transferred to the cook house which was set up with wooden beds a post-surgery ward. The medication was given by the outpatient nurse as one relative becomes an attendant.
The present X-Ray, Operation Theater, Ward 1 and 2 construction started in January, 1952. By October, 1952, the first post-surgery caesarian section was sent to the newly finished ward 1.
At that time, the first room of the operating Theater was the delivery room. There were 4 tables in use there.
The training of qualified registered nurse was in January, 1953 where the Sisters made an attempt to train some people prematurely as the students were eager but were not screened academically. Several of them later served as ward AIDS and some became professional midwives in Jirapa, Duayaw-Nkwanta, Maase-Offinso and other places. There was pharmacy staff trained during that time. The first batch of qualified registered nurses graduated in 1961. When the Midwifery school started in 1950, a baby show was organized, during the outpatient consultation, nutrition instructions and health education classes were given. Babies of six weeks of age were checked and the first BCG immunization were given.
The Midwifery Training school started in 1964 at the Hospital. The Doctors who were posted to Berekum stayed for three and a half years and then left to begin the Duayaw-Nkwanta hospital. A series of Doctors from a different nationalities came to support the hospital for short tours. Sister Jane Gates, a Medical Director was the first Medical Mission Sister Doctor to arrive in 1957.
Berekum Holy Family Hospital started the baby clinic on the verandah and in the waiting shed after the outpatient clinic had closed in the late morning or early afternoon. This was not satisfactory as at that time, the babies were tired and hungry. The antenatal classes were given during the antenatal clinics on the verandah among the waiting outpatients. Kato and Akroforo were the first towns to start new-born clinics and was expanded to include all the children under 5 years of age and continued in the other villages in Berekum.
In 1972 Friends from USA provided funds for the construction of public health building for the antenatal and well-baby clinics as well as Tuberculosis and Leprosy clinics. The nursing and Midwifery students were rotating through this department to give them experience in these services. By 1972, staff accommodation became a pressing need. Some Houses were built as well as renovations of the Operation Theatre, X-Ray Department and wards.
In 1972, the number of patients in the outpatient department increasede to 800 on some days. It was necessary to train and supervise screeners. The Registration Office, History Room, Consulting Room, Injection Room and Pharmacy department were all handled by the Medical Mission Sisters. The Hospital gradually progressed. In 1973 a separate Nursing and Midwifery Training Complex was made. The students were housed in a Guest House built in 1954. The new Hostel, Classroom block, Library, Auditorium and Administration Blocks were built which was funded by the Netherlands Government. The construction was done by Einhorn and Company Builders. The building was completed in November 1973 to house the students. In 1988, the building from the nucleus of the State Registered Nurses Training College was opened.
In 1976 as the Main Ward was inadequate for the number of patients needing admission especially the children. MISEREOR and German Government supported the construction of Pediatric, Maternity, Delivery room, Nurses Kitchen and Dinning Room Blocks by the Einhorn and Company in 1976.
CEBEMO was also part of the agencies that supported with funds.
In 1978 in the introduction of the Primary Health Care by the government of Ghana by then and revised and approved in 1978, the Hospital sent 4 Ghanaians to the Alma Atta Conference in Russia, where 148 countries met and launched a drive for Health for All by the Year 2000. Holy Family Hospital Public Health Department had been working towards this project.
The campaign for Primary Health Care encountered great difficulties in 1983 during the bush fires which occurred in the country at that time. There were lack of rain and unavailability of food and malnutrition problems increased daily. Primary Health Care in Berekum and Jaman District has it bases from Berekum. Holy Family Hospital as the District, Hospital was the first referral level (Level C) of the Primary Health Care program.
PAST AND PRESENT MEDICAL DOCTORS OF HOLY FAMILY HOSPITAL
The first Medical Officers were Dr Leon and Dr. Madeleine Adcock who begun work on 11th October,1950.
In 1st May, 1954 they were transferred to Duayaw - Nkwanta to begin the Diocesan Hospital known as St. John of God Hospital.
Short term Doctors, Dr. Francis Heelen, Dr. Stacpoole-Ryding and Dr. Guilermo were sent in to serve from 1954.
Dr. Jane Gates aka Sister Gregory the first Medical Mission Sister stabled the medical officers transfers from October 1957 until 18th September 1962 which she helped the Berekum Holy Family Hospital in medical services as well as Surgical, Pediatric, Obstetrics-Gynecology Services after when she was transferred to Fort Portal in Uganda to open the hospital there. Dr. Grace Peralta was the Obstetrician and Gynecology from 1963 to May 1966.
Sister Fernande Pelletier M.D in January 19, 1961 became the Medical Officer till November 1967.
Dr. Elise Wynen also became the Medical Director till 1971.
Dr. E.J. Stiniman assume duty in 1970 as Surgical Specialist and became the Medical Director till 1979. At her time she paid special attention to, organized for an Operation Theatre where University of Ghana Medical School graduates were coming for training in surgery as well as Clerkship at the Hospital.
The Berekum Holy Family Hospital introduced from 1971 a management team concept which Sister Anne Louise Von Hoene became an Administrator.
Mr Bernard Asare took over from there and initiated regular weekly meetings. Now the Management Team Concept comprises of the Administrator, the Medical Director, the Principal Nurse Officer (General) and a member of Medical Mission Sisters.
Dr. Van Binbergen came from 1981 to 1982 and Dr. Jules Schagen van Leeuwen also came from 1982 to 1985 were the first Medical Directors after the long period of Medical Mission Sisters Doctors.
Dr. Schagen van Leeuwen became very active management team member and supported to solve water, electricity and staff housing problems at the time utilities services were deteriorating in Ghana. The Doctors and Staff worked tirelessly to build underground water tank to supply the hospital.
In 1970, Dr. Pelletier became an Outreach Medical Officer full-time as she was responsible for medical supervision of the Health Centers in Drobo, Sampa and Clinicals in Seikwa. She was moving from one community to the other as maternity homes and community clinics were developing in the districts.
Dr. Katherine Jobson was the first Pediatrician, he worked from 1972 to 1976.
Dr. J. de. Graaf established an intensive Care Unit in the Newborn Nursery which continued to treat new born infants whether born at the Hospital or admitted from outside from 1978 to 1981.
Dr. Anita Hokkens was the pediatric from 1985 to 1987, Dr. Wim Hokken from 1985 to 1987 was taken care of Orthopedic surgery and attracted Dr. Raat a specialist to Berekum for a two short working visit.
Dr. Eugene Gibney, a surgeon was in charge of urological work. Dr. Ronan Fawsitt connected Dr. Nater from Agogo Hospital on visit every three months for one year. Hurray! Berekum Holy Family Hospital the pace setters and the First Christain Hospital To Be Established In Ghana is 70 Years.
Story by Opamogo Paparichy (Rev) Ghana B/A Berekum.
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