The Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital (ENRH) has commissioned an Endoscopy Center to undertake investigations into gastrointestinal diseases such as peptic ulcer disease, gastritis, gastroenteritis, celiac disease, gallstones, fecal incontinence, lactose intolerance, abdominal adhesions, Barrett’s esophagus, appendicitis, indigestion (dyspepsia), intestinal pseudo-obstruction and pancreatitis among others.
The Center is a credit facility which was built by a private businessman to be operated by the Hospital and be paid later.
Speaking at a short ceremony heralding the commission, Dr. Micheal Danso, Head of Administration of the Hospital explained that his outfit had a private partnership engagement which yielded positive results in putting up a Dialysis Center and now the Endoscopy Center being commissioned.
He said by this arrangement, the Hospital would save a lot of lives, cost, dangers and burdens of travelling on patients since it will offer a lot of services hitherto referred to hospitals in Accra, Kumasi and Cape Coast to bring relief on patients and generate revenue for the Hospital as well.
Dr. Gifty Amugi, Western Regional Deputy Director of Public Health said every regional hospital was supposed to have all the facilities necessary for diagnosis to serve the people well, and deemed the collaboration as timely and a step in the right direction in that resources in health has been scarce especially, in this pandemic era.
“As a result, the hospitals and Government alone cannot meet the high rising demands in the sector which has become necessary that the private sector join forces with Government to resource the public hospitals”, she stated.
Dr. Edward Amihere, Clinical Coordinator at ENRH explained that gastrointestinal diseases refer to diseases involving the gastrointestinal tract, namely the oesophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine and rectum, and the accessory organs of digestion, the liver, gallbladder, and pancreas.
He said the Hospital as a regional hospital has been a referral center and for that matter must have so many diagnosis centers available for a lot of laboratory investigations to serve the people better.
He therefore called on the district hospitals and all the smaller private and public health centers to refer all endoscopy cases to the Center for investigations.
He called on the members of the public to desist from self medication and what he termed as ‘first aid prescriptions’ and report problems early at the hospitals so that it can be treated at their early stages to avoid any unforeseen mishap.
Dr. Amihere also recommended that people who are fifty (50) years and above should undergo endoscopy tests, especially the one that investigates the anal part from time to time to improve their health since they get a lot of complications like tumours and cancers.
Mr Paul Adu, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Celecial Medical Equipment and Supply who made the facility available said he was motivated by the fact that he has loved ones in the region whose health needs cannot be downplayed.
He admonished the public to seek early treatment at the hospitals and not to downplay their health needs and therefore called on the private sector to join hands with the Government in meeting the challenges of the public hospitals to save more lives.
He said personnel to manage the Center have undergone adequate training to be able to run the Center well and also implored them to make good use of the facility so as to serve its purpose.
