The Catholic Church in Ghana, West Africa has been lauded for the quality of health delivery in their institutions and encouraged to keep up the good work.
Speaking during the 25th Anniversary of Holy Spirit Catholic Polyclinic, Kwasi Fante, in the Afram Plains, Eastern Ghana on November 26, 2024, Mr. George Adjei Esq., Director of Catholic Health Service Trust (CHST), underlined the role of the Church in Health care delivery.
He said that “it is gratifying to note that the zeal of our Church leadership to make the CHST an effective partner to government in care provision has not waned in spite of the exit of most of our development partners which has affected our financial influx to the local church”.
He added that “the church is still very much in the process of opening new facilities, this time, not only clinics but they are upgrading clinics into polyclinics and hospitals”.
According to Mr. Adjei, the Catholic Church in Ghana at the moment owns 51 hospitals, 96 Clinics, 11 Health Training Institutions, and 5 other specialized institutions. Also, there are 11 newly opened clinics awaiting accreditation to add up to the numbers.
“So you will agree that the church is still in the business of opening new places,” he confirmed.
He expressed appreciation to the “visionary” bishops, the Holy Spirit Sisters, the donors, management and staff, past and present, whose work contributed one way or the other to this history.
“Your works have borne fruits, and it is hope to many generations to come,” he affirmed, assuring them of his unflinching support, and together, they will continue to provide “high quality health care to the communities where we give care, and upholding the dignity of the human person, who is the patient”.
Further commending the efforts of the Missionary Sisters, Servants of the Holy Spirit and past and present Managers of the facility, for binging it to where it is, the CHST Director however noted that there is still much to be done to accelerate the pace of transitioning the Polyclinic into a hospital and making sure that it works.
“Staff availability and their skills improvement, regulatory compliance, medicines availability, and functionality of basic equipment should engage our attention seriously, so that we do not only create demand, but create demand that can match with supply,” he stressed.
Acknowledging the works of the Vicariate, Management and Staff of Holy Spirit Catholic Polyclinic, he encouraged them to continue to live the Mission of the Catholic Health Service Trust, key of which is meeting patients’ expectations. “This is a test for stewardship,” he added.
The Apostolic Vicariate and Sisters were equally encouraged to continue to monitor and support the facility, as its development unfolds, and also make sure that it is managed appropriately and “where you are not sure, seek advice and assistance, because if it goes wrong, it will come back to the Diocese and the Catholic Church eventually. We don’t want our names to be mentioned in the negative anywhere,” he cautioned.
The CHST Director further charged the community to use the 25years anniversary of the facility as a point of reflection as to how beneficial the health facility has been in their lives, and then see it as a duty to promote its sustainability, so that it will remain even more relevant into the future.
Re-echoing the efforts of Holy Spirit Polyclinic and the Catholic Church by extension, in quality Health care delivery, Dr. Peter Yeboah, Executive Director of Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG) accentuated that last year, 2023, the facility attended to 6,592 Outpatients, 1,642 ANC attendants, and 188 supervised deliveries. To him, such records for a polyclinic call for celebration
The Executive Director was equally fascinated by the “green, clean, and serene environment” as well as the Motto of the facility: Spiritus Sanctus (The Holy Spirit), which he described as ‘therapeutic’, and the “most compelling and inspirational” theme chosen for the Silver Jubilee Celebration.
“This event is about celebration of the impacts you have made in the lives of people in this vicinity. It is also the commemoration of the missionary zeal bequeath to us by the holy Roman Catholic Church, to promote Jesus Christ’ healing ministry,” he underlined.
Dr. Yeboah admitted that the facilities are the reasons for which they, leaders, exist, confessing that “Without you, we will not be relevant at the top”.
Assuring the Facility of his “steadfast support”, the Executive Director of CHAG prayed that the 25yrs of the Polyclinic may be a catalyst for growth and development, for higher impact, and that the facility may be a sanctuary of health, hope and healing to the greatest number of people.
The Rev. Msgr. Paul Amankwah, Director of Diocesan Health Service (DHS), Koforidua, in his capacity as the Chairman for the Silver Jubilee, commended the collaborative efforts between the traditional leaders and the Polyclinic, and used the avenue to urge the Chiefs and elders, who had in the past been generous enough to provide the land for the facility, to still encourage their people to attend the clinic so that “we build the place up,” explaining further that for an institution to be successful, numbers are needed.
“People should be encouraged to come here for health care, and when that is done, we will have revenue to support the growth of this institution,” he reiterated.
The following Church personalities were recognized in citations during the Silver Jubilee: The Most Rev. John Alphonse Asiedu, SVD, Srs. Margaret Frimpomaa Nyame, SSpS, Mary Nkrumah, SSpS and Dorota Sojka, SSpS, all past Managers of the Facility.
By Sylvie Lum Cho, MSHR (DEPSOCOM, Donkorkrom Apostolic Vicariate/Sister Communicator)
