Management of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi has condemned the strike action by some doctors at the Oncology Department.
Seven out of 11 doctors at the Oncology department of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi embarked on a strike on Monday, June 24, 2024, leaving several cancer patients stranded.
Majority of the patients left the hospital unattended until the arrival of three specialists to take care of a few stranded patients.
The doctors used the strike to compel management of the hospital to fix all broken cancer treatment machines in the hospital particularly the water phantom needed for the calibration on the LINAC.
According to Dr. Yaw Opare Larbi, Deputy Medical Director of the hospital, management had fulfilled all necessary procurement procedures to replace the broken equipment at the Oncology department.
Dr. Opare Yaw Larbi expressed surprise and disappointment that the doctors, fully aware of the measures taken by management, would still choose to embark on strike over this issue.
He disclosed management has procured the necessary equipment, to fix the LINAC machine and has ordered for brand new water phantom machine, at a cost of $109,623.39.
He further explained the service providers are currently waiting for their agent to finalize the money transfer process inline with international money transfer compliance for the delivery of the brand-new water phantom needed for calibration.
“ The LINAC radiation machine used for treatment of cancers was down for some time so management procured the new parts and fixed it for use at the Oncology department. After fixing that, management was put in the know that the Water Phantom used for calibration has also broken down. The Phantom is also not manufactured in Ghana or anywhere in Africa. This means we have to place an order for its procurement. The product comes from US but the manufacturing company is in Bulgarian so our banks here in Ghana have to talk to banks in Bulgaria on the issues of letters of Credit so when the machine is delivered the bank will pay the manufacture through a back in Bulgaria through intermediary bank so all these things take time’’ he explained.
Dr. Opare Yaw further disclosed that Management has gone through all the procurement best practices inline with law and has been given a letter of credit.
“So on our part we have met all the conditions required for the procurement of the new machine so it is left with our banks and the manufacturers banks to conclude the transactions. Then the machines will be delivered to us. So management has done their part. We are only waiting for the banks involved in the transaction to conclude their work for the manufacturer to export the machine. The manufacturer has also assured us that as soon as the transaction is over the machine will be delivered in less than a week. So if the banks conclude their transactions today it is most likely that the machine will be delivered to us by the end of the week’’ he said.
He added” as management we have not hidden any of the process in acquiring this machine to management of the Oncology department. In fact they are involved in the process from day one which have also not put the striking doctors in the dark of everything so where from this needless strike. Knowing very well that bringing the equipment at this moment is not in our control’’ he questioned.
Source: Kasapafmonline.com/Isaac Justice Bediako