Most Rev. Joseph
Afrifah-Agyekum, Bishop Responsible for Health of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’
Conference (GCBC), recently launched the National 23rd World Day of the
Sick at the St. Anthony’s Hospital, Dzodze, with an appeal to health
professionals to attach importance and care to the sick who visit their
facilities.
The programme organised
by the Directorate of Health of the National Catholic Secretariat (NCS) in
collaboration with the Keta- Akatsi Diocesan Health Service was on the theme: “I was
eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame” (Job 29:15).
Highlighting the theme
for the occasion, Bishop Afrifah-Agyekum, who is also the Bishop of Koforidua,
urged all involved in healthcare provision to extend utmost care to patients
and endeavour to be the eyes to the blind and feet to the lame.
The Bishop, reading the
Pope’s message for the occasion reechoed the need to spend quality time with
the sick, which the words of the Holy Father states “Time spent with the sick
is holy time”, adding that “it is a way of praising God who conforms us to the
image of his Son”.
Mr. George Adjei, Director of Health at the NCS,
stated that the Church in her wisdom elevated its mission to healthcare by
establishing a Pontifical Council for Health Workers in Rome in 1982, to
consciously raise and find solutions to issues in the world of the sick and
suffering.
In spite of current challenges, he said the
National Catholic Health Service was finding new ways to promote the Church’s
teaching in healthcare, adding that they are discussing broad interventions
targeted at care givers, the patient as an individual, their families and
communities for home-based care.
“This new efforts will complement the support we
are giving to managers of our training colleges, hospitals, clinics and our Chaplains,
to intensify orientation for our newly engaged staff, periodic staff retreats,
patient counselling services, community and home-based care, education on the
ethics of the Church, celebration of Patron Saint Feast Days” and others that
set us apart as Catholic Health providers,” he added.
He assured that the Directorate
will work closely with the Professional Guilds and the Federation of Catholic
Health Trainees to bring them closer the National Catholic Health Service in
celebrations such as the World Day of the Sick.
Mr. Adjei hinted that the Bishops’ Conference
has mandated the Directorate in conjunction with Medical Ethics Commission to
organise an international conference on Pro-Life sometime in August.
The Director of Health also appealed to the GCBC
to appoint Chaplains with mandate beyond Church institutions.
In a welcome address, Mr. Christian Akoto-Brown,
Keta-Akatsi Director for Health, observed that the Day was a special one for
the sick, health workers and all people of good will, adding that it was a call
for all to recognize the holy face of Christ through the suffering patients.
He prayed that the celebration of the Day may
bring health workers closer to the suffering sick in their facilities.
Most Rev. Anthony Kwami Adanuty, Bishop of
Keta-Akatsi Diocese, who chaired the function thanked the health workers for
the good work they were doing and prayed for God’s blessing on them.
Present at the ceremony were Most Rev. Gabriel
A. A. Mante, Bishop of Jasikan Diocese, Catholic Chaplains in various Catholic
Hospital in the country, some Diocesan Executive Secretaries of Health, representatives
of Catholic Hospitals, as well as the Chiefs and people of Dzodze and
surrounding communities.
As part of the
celebration, Dr. Nicholas Akakpo-Ashiadey, Medical Officer at the Sacred Heart
Hospital at Abor, was adjudged the overall Best Health worker for the
Keta-Akatsi Diocese in 2014. Others awardees were Dr.
Woedem Aku Tettey, Medical Officer at the St. Anthony’s Hospital and Madam Gertrude
Danu, Senior Nursing Officer and Midwife in-charge of the Maternity Ward at the
St. Anthony’s Hospital, Dzodze.
Dr. Akakpo-Ashiadey, on behalf of the awardees thanked
the organisers for the recognition and dedicated the awards to the patients and
staff without whom they would not have achieved the awards.
*The Awardees with the
Prelates and the dignitaries at the Launch.
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