The Department of Child Health of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in collaboration with the School of Medicine and Dentistry (SMD) of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi held a two-day Paediatric Conference and Child Health Research Day. The event was on the theme: “Ensuring Excellence in Paediatric Care: 20 years on.”
The Directorate of Child Health of KATH and the SMD-KNUST has been at the forefront of the provision of quality healthcare to the children of the Ashanti Region and the Northern Sector of Ghana. The Paediatric Emergency Unit (PEU) of the hospital has played a crucial role in optimising emergency care for the children in the Region over the past two decades. It is for this reason that the theme was chosen. The conference was held to reflect on the progress made in the emergency management of children, to discuss the current challenges facing the field, discuss best practices and to provide research insight into the field.
In her welcome address, the Chairperson of the Local Organising Committee (LOC), Dr. (Mrs.) Sandra Kwarteng Owusu, noted that the Department has over the years lived up to its core mandate of teaching and conducting clinical research. With fourteen sub-specialties, the Department has continuously contributed to healthcare delivery - nationally. She said this year’s conference is dedicated to celebrating two decades of achievements following the establishment of the paediatric Emergency Unit (PEU). Dr. Kwarteng Owusu said the Unit remains a major contributor and the first point of call for nearly all cases presented to the Department. According to her, the conference is uniquely organised to bring together all healthcare practitioners from across the country. The LOC Chairperson continued that all presentations will be cased-based and delivered to the participants in small groups, to ensure holistic participation and practical approaches to problem-based learning with skills acquisition. According to her, the second day of the conference would focus on scientific research dissemination. She expressed her appreciation to the management of KATH and sponsors namely: UNICEF, Thyvega Study Group, Astra Zeneca and MDS Lancet.
In his keynote address, the Pro Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ellis Owusu-Dabo, stated that the theme for the conference expresses the contribution and commitment partners in the field of child health have made to child survival in the nation, particularly towards the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goal three (SDG 3). He said the whole University community celebrates the Department on its great achievement over the last two decades. According to the Pro Vice-Chancellor, the core mandate of KNUST is research, teaching, and provision of community services. He added that in year 2023, KNUST was ranked first in helping to achieve United Nations SDG 4 which focuses on quality education by the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Ranking. In this light, research is a key component which enabled KNUST to achieve such feat. He added “Standing on this achievement requires that together we continue to work hard in the areas of research, teaching, and service provision. Events of this nature will contribute immensely to achieving our collective goal.”
In his address, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of KATH, Professor Otchere Addai-Mensah, said the vision of KATH is to become a centre of excellence and a leader in healthcare provision underpinned by clinical research. “KATH is committed to the provision of quality healthcare to meet the needs and expectations of our teaming clients. The core mandate of the hospital is the provision of clinical services, teaching and conducting clinical research,” he said. According to the CEO, the Directorate of Child Heath is leading in its responsibility by consistently building the capacity of healthcare professionals and conducting clinical research to support evidence-based medicine. He continued that dissemination of research findings cannot be underestimated as it is a major endpoint in the research pathway. The patient management outcomes at KATH can only be improved with the use of evidence-based medicine and dissemination of research results as key components. Professor Addai-Mensah reiterated that the establishment of the PEU in the Directorate of Child Health in the last two decades is a major achievement that has contributed to the provision of healthcare of tens of thousands of children who are presented daily to the Unit. He said the theme for this year’s conference is timely and serves as a good manner of assessment and introspection for the Directorate. On behalf of the Board of KATH, he congratulated the Directorate for providing excellent child health care over the years. He pledged their support to the Directorate in their quest to improve clinical services driven by research.
The Head of the Department of Child Health, KNUST, Professor Sampson Antwi, revealed that the research day, an innovation by his outfit, was instituted as a biennial conference to stimulate units and individuals in the Directorate to translate their huge clinical experience and data into scientific work. According to Professor Antwi, the Directorate is noted for its strong research output with various collaborators within and outside the shores of Ghana. He revealed that abstracts from the maiden research conference in 2021 were published in the African Journal of Current Medical Research.
The Head of Unit-PEU, Dr. Justice Sylverken, observed that celebrating twenty years in paediatric care represents celebrating twenty years of saving children’s lives in Ghana. He said this momentous occasion also represents two decades of unwavering, compassion and lifesaving efforts. He continued that for the past twenty years, the healthcare professionals at the PEU of the Child Health Directorate have exemplified the true meaning of commitment to the well-being of young citizens.
Dr. Sylverken commended them saying, “From the bustling cities to the remote villages, your tireless efforts have reached every corner of the nation, providing critical care when it is needed most. The journey has undoubtedly been challenging yet your resilience has been a beacon of hope for countless families. He continued that they have stood at the front lines of several emergencies bringing hope, comfort to worried parents, and delivering skilled compassionate aid to children in their most vulnerable moments.” Dr. Sylverken said as they reflect on these significant achievements and anniversary, they should remember the lives that have been touched and saved through their collective efforts, expertise, and dedication of the Paediatric Acute Care Teams, PEU and the latest addition, Paediatric Intensive Care Unit. He concluded that each success story is a testament to the skill and compassion that define their profession.