The Parliamentary Select Committee on Health conducted a working visit to the Ho Teaching Hospital (HTH) as part of their nationwide assessment of healthcare delivery in regional and teaching hospitals. The Committee’s primary objective was to evaluate service provision, identify existing challenges, and propose effective solutions for improvement. The visit culminated in high praise for HTH’s management, particularly for their resourceful utilization of internally generated funds (IGF) to drive infrastructural development and enhance tertiary healthcare services in the Volta Region and beyond. Dr. Thomas Winsum Anabah, the leader of the delegation, commended the hospital’s remarkable achievements despite facing resource constraints, emphasizing their proactive approach to development as a model for other health facilities.
HTH’s management presented a comprehensive overview of the hospital’s operations to the Committee, encompassing their achievements, financial status, staffing levels, ongoing projects, and infrastructural advancements. This presentation was followed by a facility tour, allowing the Committee members to firsthand witness the projects and interact with the hospital staff. Dr. Anabah expressed profound satisfaction with the observed progress, highlighting the hospital’s judicious use of limited IGF to build impressive infrastructure and implement programs that significantly enhance service delivery, not only within the Volta Region but also for patients from other regions.
The Committee lauded HTH’s commitment to research, evidenced by the publication of 21 peer-reviewed articles in 2024 alone. This achievement distinguishes HTH from typical regional hospitals and solidifies its status as a true teaching hospital. Furthermore, the hospital’s proactive approach to addressing human resource challenges by funding specialist training at the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons impressed the Committee. This initiative aims to ensure the return of trained specialists to strengthen the hospital’s service offerings. The Committee recognized this as a crucial step towards building a sustainable and robust healthcare system.
HTH’s impactful use of IGF extends to several key projects, including the construction of a dedicated Psychiatric Consultant Department, the establishment of a 24-hour pharmacy service to enhance patient access to medications, the development of a Family Health Administration Unit to streamline family-centered care, and the establishment of a Dialysis Center to address critical patient needs. Notably, the hospital has proactively allocated internally generated funds for the maintenance of a donated CT scan machine, a practice commended by Dr. Anabah as exemplary and rare among Ghanaian health facilities.
The Committee acknowledged HTH’s foresight in developing a health tourism blueprint even before the government’s recent policy emphasis on this sector. Recognizing the global multi-billion-dollar potential of health tourism, Dr. Anabah commended HTH’s preparedness and positioned them as a potential leader in health tourism within Ghana, potentially attracting patients from neighboring countries and significantly contributing to the national economy. This proactive approach aligns with the government’s vision and demonstrates HTH’s commitment to innovation and sustainable growth.
Despite the numerous commendations, the Committee also identified some gaps, notably the absence of a dedicated ambulance for the hospital. Dr. Anabah underscored the importance of providing all regional and teaching hospitals with their own ambulances to ensure efficient patient referrals and announced the Committee’s intention to advocate for this provision. Additionally, the Committee advised the hospital’s management to explore Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) as a supplementary avenue for resource mobilization and service enhancement. This recommendation aims to further empower HTH to develop and expand its service offerings and infrastructure.
Dr. John Tampuori, CEO of Ho Teaching Hospital, expressed gratitude for the Committee’s visit and constructive feedback, assuring the delegation that all recommendations would be seriously considered and implemented to further enhance healthcare delivery. He reiterated the hospital’s commitment to overcoming challenges and consistently delivering quality healthcare while appealing to the government for support, particularly in securing loans to advance their health tourism agenda. The visit concluded on a positive and collaborative note, with both the hospital management and the Parliamentary Committee expressing optimism that joint efforts would strengthen the healthcare system for the region and the nation. The Committee’s visit served as a valuable platform for assessment, commendation, and collaborative strategizing towards a more robust and effective healthcare landscape in Ghana.
