‘Make patient care utmost priority’-Bishop Afrifah-Agyekum

The award winners and dignitaries at the function

Most Rev. Joseph Afrifah-Agyekum, Bishop of Koforidua, has challenged health workers in the country to give quality care to sick people who visit the hospitals to access health care.

He entreated them to treat every patient with dignity and respect, and serve the sick from the depth of their hearts with compassion.

Bishop Afrifah-Agyekum with Mr. Kpesesse
and Dr. Mantey interacting 

The Bishop said these during the joint Accra Archdiocese and Koforidua Diocesan launch of the 25^th World Day of the Sick at the St. Joseph Hospital at Effiduase-Koforidua.

The message was based on the theme: Amazement of what God has one for me: Amazement of what God has accomplished: The Almighty has done great things for me (Luke 1:49).

Bishop Afrifah-Agyekum, who read the Pope’s message for the occasion, urged health workers to be active in the care they give to the sick at all times.

Mr. Victus K. Kpesese, Executive Secretary for Health in Koforidua Diocese, urged the various departments at the facilities to be interested in monitoring their performances, adding that whatever we do should be directed at saving lives.

He advised facilities going paperless to get a strong IT system to safeguard the data they feed into the system.

On motivation for staff, he urged management of the various facilities to go beyond salaries and opportunities to upgrade staff but also recognize for good efforts of their staffs.

Mrs. Attipoe Bempong, representative of the Eastern Regional Director of Health stated the need for health workers to have compassion for patient in order to better serve them.

Speaking on how to avoid diabetes, she urged Ghanaians to watch their what they eat and their eating habit, and stressed the essence to eat a lot of balance diet with fruits and vegetables.

She urged Ghanaians to inculcate regular exercise habits, avoid smoking and excessive drinking and adopt health lifestyle.

Bishop Afrifah-Agyekum blessing the sick

Mrs. Bempong urged people diagnosed of the disease, not to worry because it could be managed, entreating them to visit health facilities to seek care.            

Nana Ampem Frempomah I, Nkosuohene of Effiduase-Koforidua, who chaired the launch commended the Catholic Church for its strive in health care delivery in the area and the in the country as a whole, on the government to revamp and improve upon the NHIS to help more people access health care.

She called on Ghanaians to clean rid and rid their environment of filth to promote healthy living.

In attendance at the function was the all-male Choir of the Pope John Minor Seminary and Senior High School, who entertained the guest at the programme.

Dr. Ebenezer Akrofi-Mantey, Medical Officer of the St. Joseph Hospital was adjudged the winner of the Koforidua Diocesan Health Excellence Awards, for his exceptional dedicated service over the years, while Dr. Kofi Effah, Head of the Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Catholic Hospital of Battor named the winner for the Accra Archdiocesan Health Excellence Awards.      

On behalf of the awardees, Dr. Mantey thanked God, the hospital management and the Koforidua Diocese for the honour and recognition of their efforts.

He also thanked the staff who he works with and his family, entreated the staff to be diligent and keep working hard, adding that in all their edeavours and work, one day they would be recognize and they would receive a just reward.

In a welcome address, Mr. Valentine Bruku, Director of the Hospital, stated that launch has brought the health facilities together as one family, to share in the vision of utmost and holistic patient care.

He expressed the hope that health workers would reflect on the theme and imbibe its meaning to their daily work.

Present at the programme were section of the patients at the facility, who praised the hospital staff for the great work they were doing to care for them.

In attendance was the Pope John Seminary and Senior High School Choir who sang medleys of songs to spice up the programme.

The front view of the St. Joseph Hospital.