General News of 2026-10-14
Korle Bu cardiothoracic centre faces staff shortage amid rising demand for cath lab services
Dr Kow Entsua-Mensah, Director of the National Cardiothoracic Centre at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, has disclosed that more than 80 patients have undergone procedures at the facility’s new cardiac catheterisation laboratory (cath lab) since it was commissioned in July 2026.
He said the centre was helping to address a critical need for specialised cardiovascular care, including procedures for conditions affecting blood vessels in the brain and peripheral vascular diseases.
Over 80 Ghanaians benefit from complex heart procedures at Korle Bu – Board Chairman
Dr Entsua-Mensah disclosed this while addressing the media after the Parliamentary Select Committee on Health visited the centre to assess the functionality of the facility.
According to him, the new cath lab was commissioned on July 9, 2026, following a fire that damaged the previous facility and left it out of operation for about a year.
He said the new facility had since been used to treat patients requiring specialised interventions, with some receiving financial support through the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, also known as Mahama Care.
He explained that the cardiovascular module of the programme was helping patients who could not afford the cost of procedures to access treatment.
Dr Entsua-Mensah expressed satisfaction with the performance of the new facility, noting that it had operated without any problems since its commissioning.
However, he identified inadequate staffing as the centre’s major challenge, citing the increasing demand for services and the need for medical personnel to work extended hours to handle emergencies.
“Our main challenge is with more personnel. The demand is great, and so it has become necessary to be working in the cath lab throughout the day and then in the evenings and the nights when there are emergencies,” he said.
He warned that the workload could leave staff exhausted and called for additional specialists and supporting personnel to ensure effective service delivery.
He said the centre required a full complement of professionals, including cardiothoracic surgeons, cardiologists, anaesthesiologists, nurses, radiographers, biomedical scientists and biomedical engineers.
According to him, increasing the workforce would allow the centre to establish separate teams, giving staff time to rest, undertake further training and take annual leave without disrupting services.
Dr Entsua-Mensah expressed optimism that the government would address the staffing gaps to enable the facility to provide services around the clock.
He also acknowledged the contributions of President John Dramani Mahama, the Minister of Health, the Ghana Medical Trust Fund and ADB Ghana Medical Systems Group, which built the cath lab, towards strengthening specialised cardiovascular care at the hospital.
He said additional personnel would help the centre expand its capacity to meet the growing demand for specialised cardiovascular treatment in Ghana.
NA/AM
