The Richard Novati Catholic Hospital at Sogakope in the South Tongu District of the Volta Region has launched its 30th anniversary celebrati...
The Richard Novati Catholic Hospital at Sogakope in the South Tongu District of the Volta Region has launched its 30th anniversary celebration event with a passionate appeal to all stakeholders and philanthropists within and outside the country to assist the hospital to urgently construct a 70-bed capacity multi-purpose Mother and Child Unit by September, this year.
The proposed facility has become necessary following the small nature and deplorable condition of the current Maternity Unit which is negatively affecting quality healthcare delivery to clients, about sixty (60) percent of whom are pregnant mothers.
The hospital which was formerly known as the Comboni Hospital, started as a Clinic in 1990 by an Italian Comboni Missionary, Rev. Fr. Richard Novati of blessed memory. The hospital has grown since then into a major health facility, serving all manner of people not only from neighbouring Togo but also parts of the Greater Accra, Oti and Eastern Regions.
Former President, Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings, the Regional Minister, Dr. Archibald Yao Letsa as well as the Catholic Bishop of the Keta-Akatsi Diocese, Most Rev. Gabriel Edoe Kumordji were among the Special Guests present at the event.
As part of the anniversary launch, the Regional Minister and the Bishop in-charge of the Keta-Akatsi Diocese, inspected a Guard of Honour mounted by a forty (40) member Military Cadet Corps of the Comboni Vocational Technical Institute at Sogakope. Most Rev. Gabriel Kumordji also unveiled a statue in memory of the late Rev. Fr. Richard Novati.
Speaking at the function, former President Rawlings expressed concern about the canker of indiscipline and irresponsibility on the country’s roads and highways by some drivers and motor riders, resulting in several avoidable accidents and deaths of several innocent people. According to him, many drivers would have been prosecuted and jailed for manslaughter if it were in the advanced countries. He therefore charged the Ghana Police Service (GPS), the Road Safety Authority (RSA) as well as all driver unions including the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) to help bring back sanity onto the road.
Volta Regional Minister, Dr. Archibald Yao Letsa congratulated the staff and management of the hospital as well as all other stakeholders on the occasion of the commemoration of such a milestone. He expressed the hope that the hospital would continue to provide quality healthcare services to the people of Sogakope and its environs in the years to come.
Dr. Letsa commended the National Catholic Health Service (NCHS) and the entire Catholic Church for their immense support to the people of the Volta Region especially in the provision of social infrastructure and services. He therefore pledged government’s support to the facility in ensuring that the vision and mission of the founding fathers are realized.
Administrator of the hospital, Mr. Adolph Bansah lamented on the deplorable nature of the current maternity block of the hospital which can only contain twenty (20) beds. According to him, the nature and location of the facility has compelled young midwives to always push stretchers with pregnant women in labour across corridors in the night towards the distant theatre, adding that some of the young midwives who are in their twenties (20s) and thirties (30s) have already developed waist pains as well as problems with their spinal cord.
Medical Director of the hospital, Dr. Cyril Enyam Bansah told our newsteam in an interview that the need for an expanded maternity block of the facility cannot be over-emphasized. He therefore appealed to Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), philanthropists and public spirited institutions and individuals touched by the plight of the hospital, to urgently support the construction of the Mother and Baby Unit for the facility.
Bishop of the Keta-Akatsi Catholic Diocese, Most Rev. Gabriel Kumordji thanked the chiefs and people of the Fievie Traditional Area for releasing the large parcel of land on which the late Rev. Fr. Novati cited the hospital, the Technical School and other facilities that have today become the known Comboni Centre.
Most Rev. Kumordji noted that even though the hospital has existed for only thirty (30) years, its name is known all over the world due to the quality services being rendered by the hardwork and dedicated staff whose sacrifices continue to ensure quality healthcare delivery to the people.
The Bishop regretted that though the hospital cannot boast of a beautiful layout and nice buildings, it is very proud of qualified and competent health professionals in their right mix, adding that two major areas the Richard Novati Hospital is making great strides in recent years, is its Dental and Eye services from its well-equipped related units.
The anniversary launch event which was held under the theme, ‘Safe Maternal Care In A Safe Environment’, culminated in the launch of a One Million Ghana Cedi (Ghc1,000,000.00) appeal for funds towards the execution of the 30th anniversary edifice.
The ceremony was attended by a large number of dignitaries from all walks of life including chiefs and queenmothers from the area. Also present were staff and health professionals from sister institutions and organizations including the St. Anthony’s Hospital at Dzodze, Sacred Heart Hospital, Weme-Abor, NCHS, the National Catholic Secretariat (NCS), the Ghana Health Service (GHS) as well as citizens of the area.
The event was under the chairmanship of the Paramount Chief of the Fieve Traditional Area, Togbe Agama Amata IV.
The 30th anniversary celebration of the facility is scheduled for October, 2020. According to the management, donations towards the Mother and Baby Unit’s commemorative project could be delivered in cash or cheque in the name of Comboni Hospital Reserved Account, Number 507200009824401 at the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB), Sogakope Chapter. Cheques for the project can be written in the name of Richard Novati Catholic Hospital. Material donations towards the project could also be made through the Administrator, Mr. Adolph Bansah on +233(0)243685082 or +233(0)205309878.
The six (6) member Management Team of the Hospital is made up of Mr. Adolph Bansah as the Hospital Administrator, Dr. Cyril Enyam Bansah as Medical Director and Ms. Christiana Sitsofe Gligui as Nurse Manager. The rest are Mr. Alfred Sefegah, Head of Finance, Pharmacist Peter Akorsu, Hospital Pharmacist as well as Rev. Fr. John Odzamgba, Hospital Chaplain.
source: Akukorku Media Cunsult
source: Akukorku Media Cunsult
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