With its image severely tarnished, the new governing board of the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) has announced that it will reconstitute the hospital’s management to ensure that the facility regains its reputation.
The board, in that direction, has filled five top previously vacant management positions. After following public service procedures and advertising the positions the board confirmed the acting director of medical affairs, acting director of nursing services, the director of finance, director of administration and director of pharmacy as substantive officers.
The board’s decision forms part of its efforts to restore hope and confidence in patients and clients. It is also hoping to instill discipline in workers in terms of blocking all revenue leakage and respecting patients’ rights.
Dr. Abdulai Tinorgah heads the new board and he is joined by Dr Alex Ire who is in charge of disciplinary sub-committee, Mrs Olivia Mensah Sarbah-in charge of finance and administration sub-committee of the board and Professor Francis Abantanga (dean of school of medicine and health sciences at the University for Development Studies) in charge of human resource management.
Others are, Professor Bawah Ayagah of the University of Ghana in charge of technical services of the board, Dr. Akanbong Prosper-(Chief Executive Officer) and Mr Tanko Iddrisu board secretary.
At its maiden meeting with the press to discuss pertinent issues, the board admitted that there have been some lapses which angered the hospital’s clients and gave the assurance that steps are being taken to address them to ensure that the TTH provides the best healthcare as a teaching and tertiary hospital.
The board said it will reach out to institutions and individuals who the hospital consider to be key stakeholders as well as people who care about TTH to hear from them in the spirit of collaboration and partnership.
The meeting is part of activities the board refers to as an outreach to institutions to deliberate on how holistically it can move forward without hospital clients having any regrets for patronizing its services.
Dr. Tinorgah told journalists that the major problem facing the hospital is revenue generation, not having enough money to run the facility. He described it as a hand to mouth situation and blamed it squarely on revenue leakages.
Continuing, Dr. Tinorgah said the board, together with the management, has put in place measures including making good use of an electronic management system called HAMS, which tracks patients, the work of clinicians, monies and suppliers.
The hospital, according to the board chairman, depends heavily on the National Health Insurance Scheme and that delays in NHIS payments affect its operations.
He explained that the TTH’s budget from government is extremely little because the facility is a teaching hospital, hence its dependence on the NHIS. The board is also focusing on internal decentralization, where various unit managers will have operational funds to make decisions at their levels.
He said the board inherited a lot problems, some of these problems he noted will happen no matter whoever is in charge especially when it comes to money.
Mr. Iddrisu said the board recognizes the critical role media plays and will engage journalists to help them understand some of the issues going on in the hospital so they in turn can help educate and promote the core mandate of TTH. “Our conviction is that you represent a very critical segment of society,” Mr Tanko noted.