Train more doctors and nurses for cardiac centres – Patrick Boakye Yiadom

Dr Patrick Boakye Yiadom, Deputy Ranking Member of Parliament’s Select Committee on Health, has called on the government to prioritise training more specialised doctors and nurses to support Ghana’s cardiac centres.

The existing cath lab at Korle Bu was built by ADB Ghana Medical Systems Group. The need for additional trained personnel remains a key concern as Ghana expands specialised cardiac care to other parts of the country.

He said the National Cardiothoracic Centre at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital currently relied on only one cardiac team, raising concerns about the sustainability of its operations and the welfare of the medical staff.

Dr Boakye Yiadom made the call while addressing the media after the committee visited the centre on Wednesday, October 14, 2026.

He commended the medical team for providing specialised care to patients who might otherwise struggle to access such treatment.

However, he warned that the limited number of specialists could affect the delivery of services if any member of the team became unavailable.

“As I speak, there's only one cardiac team working at the centre, and they are working around the clock. They don't have breaks; they can't take leave,” he said.

“What happens if one of them falls sick?” he asked, stressing the need for the government to invest in training more highly skilled medical professionals to sustain the centre’s operations.

According to him, the availability of additional specialists would help ensure continuity of care and reduce the pressure on the existing team.

Dr Boakye Yiadom also highlighted the need to prepare medical personnel for other cardiac facilities being developed across the country.

He cited the ongoing construction of a similar centre at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital and another project at the Tamale Teaching Hospital, noting that both facilities would require adequately trained personnel to operate effectively.

“We have to get a team ready before the project is commissioned,” he said, referring to the facility under construction at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.

He added that the government needed to ensure that the necessary medical personnel were available ahead of the commissioning of the new centres.

Despite the staffing concerns, Dr Boakye Yiadom expressed satisfaction with the progress made at Korle Bu, describing the work being done by the medical team as encouraging.

He said Ghana needed to continue investing in specialised healthcare and support the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital to address its challenges.

“I think Ghana should go that direction, and Korle Bu is making strides, making leaps and bounds, and we need to help Korle Bu address all her challenges,” he added.

NA/BAI