No Ghanaian should die due to lack of cath lab facilities – Mark Kurt Nawaane

The Chairman of Parliament’s Select Committee on Health, Dr Mark Kurt Nawaane, has expressed hope that the expansion of cardiac catheterisation laboratory (cath lab) facilities across the country will help prevent deaths caused by delays in accessing specialised emergency care.

He said the establishment of the facilities at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital and other major hospitals would improve access to life-saving procedures and reduce the time patients spend travelling to receive treatment.

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Dr Nawaane made the remarks while addressing the media after the committee visited the National Cardiothoracic Centre at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.

During the visit, the committee observed patients undergoing procedures at the centre, which he said were being provided free of charge to beneficiaries.

He explained that the Ghana-America Trust Fund, headed by Madam Obobia Daku Opoku, was covering the cost of patient navigation services to support access to treatment.

Dr Nawaane commended President John Dramani Mahama for making the project a legacy initiative and praised the Ministry of Health for implementing it.

He disclosed that the committee had also visited Kumasi on Tuesday to inspect progress on a similar facility at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.

According to him, the facility in Kumasi, together with the one under construction at the Tamale Teaching Hospital, was expected to be completed by the end of the year.

He expressed optimism that the expansion of cath lab services would improve emergency cardiac care and reduce preventable deaths across the country.

“So I'm hoping that very, soon, no Ghanaian, and I repeat, no Ghanaian will die because of the lack of Cath Lab in this country,” he said.

Dr Nawaane stressed that timely access to specialised treatment was critical in managing medical emergencies, particularly those involving cardiovascular conditions.

“We need to manage our emergencies very well. Emergency management is about time, and we are reducing the time that it will take for a patient to get to a centre,” he added.

The cath lab is a specialised medical facility used to diagnose and treat cardiovascular conditions through minimally invasive procedures, including interventions to restore blood flow in blocked arteries.

The expansion of such facilities is expected to strengthen Ghana’s capacity to manage cardiac emergencies and improve access to specialised cardiovascular treatment.

The cath lab at Korle Bu was built by ADB Ghana Medical Systems Group. Its operations form part of broader efforts to improve access to specialised cardiovascular treatment and emergency care in Ghana.

NA/AM