The Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi faces a growing equipment crisis. The hospital serves the Ashanti Region and parts of northern Ghana. It handles thousands of patients each day. However, its medical capacity continues to decline. As a result, many patients struggle to access timely treatment.
During a Public Accounts Committee session, Chief Executive Dr Paa Kwesi Baidoo shared major concerns. He explained that the hospital still does not have a cardiac catheterisation machine. Such a device supports heart diagnosis and emergency treatment. Therefore, heart patients must depend on private facilities or travel long distances. Meanwhile, families with limited income face serious medical and financial risks. Many patients delay urgent care due to high private hospital costs.
Furthermore, Dr Baidoo revealed challenges with diagnostic machines. The hospital has three CT scanners. Only one works at the moment. Technicians are repairing a second scanner. However, that process will take time. Consequently, emergency patients often wait for scans. Trauma and stroke cases also face delays. Many critical patients search for private services. This increases pressure on already stressed families.
He stated, “We have three scan machines; only one is working currently, and engineers are fixing another.”
Long queues form daily at the radiology unit. Every day, frustrated patients wait for hours. Although doctors and nurses work hard, they face heavy pressure. Their ability to support emergencies remains limited. Patients who need urgent scans sometimes miss crucial treatment windows. Additionally, emergency referrals increase at private hospitals, creating more inequality.
Experts say this problem reflects years of limited investment. They warn that Ghana’s second-largest referral hospital requires stronger national support. Moreover, they note that advanced hospitals must have reliable modern equipment. Health analysts insist that planned upgrades and maintenance systems are essential. They also recommend increased funding and faster equipment procurement.
Despite these challenges, KATH remains a critical healthcare hub. Therefore, health stakeholders urge swift government action. They argue that improved equipment will protect lives and strengthen public healthcare in the region. Meanwhile, staff continue serving patients under difficult conditions, hoping for urgent improvements.
