The Ketu North Municipal Hospital (KNMH) in Weta, in collaboration with the West African College of Surgeons (WACS), has organised a five-day free medical and surgical outreach, to bring specialised healthcare services closer to the public. 

The outreach, running from February 01 to February 06, is serving patients from the Ketu North Municipality, other parts of the Volta Region, and across the country, with a focus on delivering affordable surgical care to underserved and vulnerable populations. 

Dr Sefakor Juliet Kpormegbe, the Medical Superintendent of KNMH, speaking with Ghana News Agency (GNA) on Wednesday February 04, said the programme was the third surgical outreach organised by the hospital since it began its operations in March 2022. She explained that as a young facility with limited visibility and low patronage, the hospital relied on such outreaches to introduce its services to the public, while addressing the healthcare needs of people who could not afford costly surgeries. 

“These outreaches help to make the hospital known and, more importantly, bring relief to patients who cannot afford expensive procedures. With the National Health Insurance Scheme, many are able to access surgeries at little or no cost,” she said. 

Dr Kpormegbe noted that the initiative was a practical step toward achieving universal health coverage by bringing specialised care closer to people in underserved communities who would otherwise wait months or even years for treatment. She said conditions being treated included goitres, fibroids, various types of hernias, lipomas, lumps and bumps, as well as selected dental cases. 

“Some patients have lived with conditions such as large fibroids for over 20 years because they could not afford treatment. They are excited because care has finally come to their doorstep,” she added. The Medical Superintendent indicated that the hospital was targeting more than 100 patients during the outreach, noting that by the third day, about 50 successful surgeries had already been performed. 

She, however, appealed to stakeholders, corporate bodies, philanthropists, and residents of the municipality to support the hospital, describing it as under-resourced. “This is the first municipal hospital for the people of Ketu North, and it belongs to all of us. We need continuous support, not only during outreaches. Beneficiaries have come from as far as Accra, so support should come from both within and outside the municipality,” she said. 

Dr Kpormegbe expressed appreciation to all sponsors who supported the outreach programme and commended the media for their extensive publicity, which helped create awareness and ensured the programme reached beneficiaries across the region and beyond and the coverage of the programme Prof. Wisdom Klutse Azanu, a Consultant Urogynaecologist at the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) and the Ho Teaching Hospital, and a member of WACS, said the outreach formed part of the College’s pre-conference activities ahead of its Annual General Meeting. He said specialists from Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, and the United Kingdom were participating in the exercise, delivering advanced surgical care to patients from diverse backgrounds. 

“Ketu North Municipal Hospital was selected because of its proximity to Accra, the quality of its facilities, and the strong management systems in place. Having worked here before, I was confident the collaboration would succeed, and so far, we have not been disappointed,” he said. 

Prof. Azanu commended the hospital staff, including the Doctors, nurses, orderlies, cleaners, and labourers, for their dedication and teamwork, adding that patients had been well prepared and managed. Dr Philemon Kumassah,  a Colorectal Surgeon at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital and a member of WACS, said the outreach was particularly fulfilling because it brought specialised surgical services to people who would otherwise be unable to afford them. “Delivering this level of care in the hinterlands gives us great joy. The process has been smooth, but funding remains a challenge because consumables and medications must be paid for,” he said. Dr Kumassah appealed to stakeholders and well-meaning Ghanaians to support future outreaches to ensure sustainability. 

Beneficiaries who spoke to the Ghana News Agency expressed gratitude to the organisers and medical team. A patient from Kpedze in the Ho West District said she had suffered from a thyroid condition for years, which made breathing difficult, but was successfully treated during the outreach. “I am fine now. I can breathe and walk around. 

The nurses and doctors are very friendly and explain everything to us. God bless them; they have saved my life,” she said. Another beneficiary from Madina, who had battled goitre, said she travelled to Weta after being informed by her uncle about the outreach and was grateful for the timely intervention. 

A hernia beneficiary from Afife in the Ketu North Municipality told the Ghana News Agency that he had suffered from the condition for more than 15 years but had now been relieved, following the intervention by the Ketu North Municipal Hospital and the West African College of Surgeons (WACS). He expressed profound joy, saying he now felt like a free man after the successful surgery.

The outreach highlights ongoing efforts to expand access to quality healthcare and strengthen both primary and specialist health services at the district level.