KATH initiate programme to boost research activities
Chief Executive Officer of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), has appealed to staff of the hospital to take advantage of the facility’s Research Fund to conduct research relevant to improve clinical care and influence policy.
Professor Ohene Adjei said research remained one of the core mandates of the hospital and that management was fully committed to make funds available to carry out this activity.
He said in line with this, it has voted GH¢145,000 in this years budget to support research work.
Prof Ohene Adjei was speaking during the graduation of 12 staff members of KATH who participated in the Diploma in Project Design and Management (DPDM) programme in Kumasi on Monday.
The DPDM, which started seven years ago, is a joint initiative of the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) and the School of Medical Sciences (SMS), Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) to aid the hospital in the areas of clinical research and patients’ care.
So far, it has produced 65 graduates from various health disciplines in the hospital.
Prof Ohene Adjei said the DPDM has been so designed to strengthen and improve the institutional research capacity of KATH and the SMS to enhance the hospital’s research profile and the pool of consultants by supporting and equipping “residents and specialists” with research skills critical for fellowship and professional examination.
He said the expectation was that the participants would use their varied research projects and findings to improve patient care through policy formulation.
Dr Imelda Bates, Director of LSTM, said the University was collaborating with the European Union to extend the programme to other countries in Africa.
He, however, appealed to the management of KATH to design innovative ways to keep the programme running.
Dr Baffour Awuah, Medical Director of the Hospital, said the facility was on course to becoming a centre of excellence.
He said management would apply the outcomes of the programme to improve performance.
Source: GNA