Bill Gates To Give KATH $5 million - Rejoinder

I write in reference to a news story carried by your esteemed medium in connection with the decision of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi, Ghana to source for a Five Million Dollar ($5,000,000.00) Grant from the Bill and Melinda Gate's Foundation.

The headline of the said story which was attributed to me created the impression albeit wrongly, that the Foundation has agreed to give KATH the grant.

This is wrong information that has greatly embarrassed both the Foundation and our partners from the University of Utah who are helping us with the application .

What I said at the end of a two-day refresher courses in Anaesthesia organized for Doctors and Nurses by KATH and the University of Utah in Kumasi was that we were putting in an application to source for the fund to conduct a compressive African Anaesthesia Registray and training/exchange programmes.

This was after reporters present at the opening ceremony of the course had asked how the registray and the training programme on Anaesthesia was going to be funded.

Unfortunately my response was somehow misreported to indicate that the grant has actually been awarded when in fact I said that we were putting in an application to the Foundation for funding.

I will be most grateful if this misrepresentation could be corrected to save our partners the University of Utah and the Bill and Melinda Gate's Foundation the inconveniences and embarrassment that the story might have caused.

Hoping to count on your co-operation in this matter.

Thank you

DR. GABRIEL BOAKYE
HEAD, DIRECTORATE OF ANEASTHESIA & INTENSIVE CARE
KOMFO ANOKYE TEACHING HOSPITAL (KATH)
KUMASI - GHANA