Korle-Bu saga: KOSSA backs CEO, uniBank

The umbrella body of the country’s premier teaching hospital, Korle-Bu Senior Staffs Association (KOSSA), has appealed to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and the Minister for Health to support the current efforts at rebuilding the hospital and restoring it to its former status as the premier teaching hospital in the country which is being led by the current Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr. Felix Anyah.

According to KOSSA, Dr. Felix Anyah’s vision for the hospital is explicit of why the hospital was established and for that matter must be supported to carry out his policies and programs so as to lift the image and rebuild the hospital.

KOSSA also called for an end to the ongoing accusations and counter accusations between the management of the hospital and the management uinBank Limited, a private entity engaged by the hospital as part of its revenue mobilization exercise, whilst advising them to desist from trying to tarnish the image of the CEO.

According to the KOSSA, the progress made by the hospital under the leadership of Dr. Felix Anyah over just six months is being threatened by the impasse regarding revenue collection at the hospital.

They made this revelation in a press statement issued and signed by its President Charles Kwade Ofei-Palm as reaction to the media face-off between the hospital and indigenous bank, uniBank, following initial attempts by the management of Korle Bu to terminate uniBank’s contract with them.

Charles Kwade Ofei-Palm stated in a statement that “The Korle Bu Senior Staff Association (KOSSA) has observed that the industrial peace and harmony which we fought for and the gains we are currently making as a hospital are being threatened by the differences between Hospital Administration and one of its business partners, uniBank”.

He said: “Much as the issue being raised is relevant to the progress of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital and must be pursued to its logical conclusion, this must be done without the current public accusations and counter-accusations. KOSSA, therefore, wish to appeal to the Hospital Administration whose leadership has led to the peace the hospital is currently enjoying and uniBank, which is also engaged in providing invaluable services to the hospital.”

KOSSA said, it recognizes the impact of the public disagreement on the operations of the institution and strongly calls for the cessation of all media banter while they and other stakeholders take steps to amicably resolve the differences in ways that will inure to the benefit of patients and the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.

“We wish to use this opportunity to appeal to His Excellency, the President and the Sector Minister to support the current efforts at rebuilding Korle Bu and restoring its status as the Premier Teaching Hospital by the current CEO, Dr. Felix Anyah.

KOSSA also enumerated that the industrial peace and harmony which they fought for and the gains they are currently making as a hospital with the coming into office of Dr. Anyah as CEO, are being threatened by the difference between the hospital and its business partners.

It could be recalled that Management of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital had decided to abrogate its contract with uniBank for the collection of revenue on its behalf after complaining about uniBank’s compatibility shortcomings with the End-to-End Hospital Revenue Collection Software which they said essentially led to revenue losses.

It emerged however that, management has rescinded its decision and reengaged uniBank for the collection of its revenue. This development has generated heated debates with claims of corruption.

But KOSSA believes that the decision to re-engage uniBank will be in the interest of the hospital and readily supported the CEO in that regard.

KOSSA therefore called on the hospital administration whose leadership has led to the peace the hospital is currently enjoying, and UniBank, which is also engaged in providing invaluable services to the hospital to come together in finding most secured ways of managing their respective roles so as to avert any future manipulations.