KATH shifting to solar power to cut down its energy bill


Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), the nation’s second largest referral facility, is increasingly shifting to the use of solar power to cut down its energy bill.

There is the additional advantage of uninterrupted power supply for its operations.

Dr. Joseph Akpaloo, the Chief Executive, said it had already installed a 42 kilowatt solar system at a cost of US$320,000.00 to supply power to its newly constructed Eye Centre.

This was funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the Himalayan Cataract Project.

Dr. Akpaloo, who was opening the hospital’s annual performance review meeting in Kumasi, said the management was seeking further assistance from its development partners to provide additional solar power systems.

This is part of the overall strategy to take the facility off the national grid and improve its energy security.

He said the focus of the Hospital this year will be on how to build a stronger and sustainable working relationship with the Ghana Health Service and its allied institutions to improve on healthcare delivery to beneficiaries of the facility. 

Aside from that, the continuation of works on the old Maternity and Children’s Block as well as the GNPC funded Sickle Cell and Blood Centre will be given priority. 

According to Dr. Akpaloo, the completion of uncompleted projects at the hospital as well as the undertaking of health outreaches in communities in the Ashanti and other regions will ultimately contribute towards realizing universal health coverage across the country. 

He therefore appealed to the government and corporate organizations to support the hospital with the provision of the necessary medical equipment and replacement of obsolete ones including the facility’s Oxygen Plant. 

The Chief Executive noted that although the operations of the hospital were adversely affected last year by the frequent breakdown of equipment, challenges with the supply of consumables and the month-long nationwide industrial action by the Ghana Medical Association, it managed to chalk some successes. 

These include the installation of seven new dialysis machines at the Dialysis Centre, a 42 Kilowatt Solar Power System for the Eye Centre with funding from the USAID and the replacement of eight old elevators in the facility’s old GEE Block. 

Dr. Akpaloo said Electro Encephalography Services for both adults and children were also introduced to halt travels to Accra to access such services, while some staff were also sponsored to pursue further specialist training. 

He commended staff of the hospital for their commitment to duty and urged them to be extra diligent to help improve on the declining service figures recorded last year.


GBC