BY Grace Zigah
For the first time in its 70-year history, the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) is set to offer advanced interventional cardiac care on its own premises, as government begins construction of a Catheterisation Laboratory (CATH Lab) in Kumasi.
The project is expected to significantly reduce preventable deaths linked to delayed treatment of heart attacks and other acute cardiac conditions in the Ashanti and northern sectors of the country.
Until now, the absence of a CATH Lab at KATH has meant that patients requiring urgent cardiac intervention had to be referred to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra or sent abroad, often at great financial and medical cost.
This longstanding gap has become increasingly dangerous as cases of heart disease and cardiac arrest have surged. Hospital records indicate that heart-related emergencies at KATH have increased by more than 250 per cent over the past decade, with an average of two to three critical cases presenting at the facility daily.
Consultant Cardiologist at KATH, Dr. Lambert Tetteh Appiah, has repeatedly warned that the lack of interventional cardiac facilities has compromised patient outcomes.
He disclosed that emergency transfers to Accra have become routine, with at least two to three patients requiring urgent referral every week due to the hospital’s inability to perform life-saving procedures locally.
The urgency of the situation was tragically underscored in 2025 by the death of Dr. Kwame Adu Ofori, a 47-year-old emergency physician at KATH.
Dr. Ofori died after being rushed to Accra for specialised cardiac treatment that was unavailable in Kumasi, sparking renewed calls from health professionals for immediate investment in cardiac infrastructure at the hospital.
In response, the Ministry of Health, with support from the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, has initiated the construction of a Cardiology and Interventional Centre at KATH, with the CATH Lab as a core component.
Speaking at a consultative forum in Kumasi on Wednesday, January 21, KATH Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Paa Kwesi Baidoo, described the project as a transformative step for healthcare delivery in the middle belt of the country.
He said the facility would allow conditions that previously required treatment in India, Europe or the United States to be managed locally, improving survival rates and reducing costs for patients and their families.
Dr. Baidoo further revealed that preparations for the centre go beyond infrastructure.
According to him, specialist training is already underway, with three doctors, alongside biomedical engineers, nurses and other essential personnel, undergoing advanced training to operate the facility.
He noted that the Ministry of Health has deliberately ensured that training begins before the centre is completed to prevent delays and skills erosion once the facility becomes operational.
