Accra, Dec. 20, — Dr Kow Entsua-Mensah, Director of the National Cardiothoracic Centre at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, has underscored the importance of stronger collaboration and resource pooling among Ghana’s cardiothoracic centres to enhance patient outcomes and service efficiency.
He made the call at the inaugural meeting of the Ghanaian Society of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgeons in Accra on Saturday.
Dr Entsua-Mensah highlighted the limited number of cardiothoracic surgeons in the country and stressed the urgent need to expand specialist training and equitable distribution across regions to strengthen healthcare delivery.
He said the newly established professional body would prioritise capacity development, expansion of existing infrastructure and active engagement in national health policy formulation.
“At present, we are only 14 cardiothoracic surgeons nationwide. This is the moment to intensify training and grow the workforce, not just for the national centre in the southern sector, but also for the middle and northern belts, and ultimately for the entire country,” he said.
He indicated that the Society begins with 14 certified surgeons and six surgeons currently in training, with plans to scale up enrolment and strategically deploy specialists to reinforce the existing system.
Dr Entsua-Mensah noted that five hospitals in Ghana currently provide cardiovascular and thoracic surgical services.
“Each centre is contributing to advancing the specialty and improving patient care, but collective action will significantly amplify our impact,” he said.
On infrastructure, he pointed to the need to strengthen services at the University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC), 37 Military Hospital, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital and Tamale Teaching Hospital to reduce pressure on the National Cardiothoracic Centre at Korle Bu.
He encouraged well-equipped facilities in Accra to provide technical and logistical support to less-resourced centres, while urging government to establish additional regional cardiovascular and thoracic centres to reduce the burden of long-distance referrals.
“One of our core objectives is to decentralise services. Development should not be confined to Accra; Kumasi and Tamale must also be strengthened, after which expansion can continue to other regions,” he said.
Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, veteran cardiothoracic surgeon and founder of the Korle Bu Cardiothoracic Centre, recounted the evolution of the centre and advised emerging professionals to embrace innovation and contemporary surgical technologies to maintain high standards of care.
He called for sustained investment in medical infrastructure and equipment and urged practitioners to uphold professional discipline, deepen their competencies and work collectively to realise the Society’s mandate.
The meeting was held on the theme: “Capacity Building in Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery Through Partnership.”
GHBUSS
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