Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH)

The Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) is located in Kumasi, the Regional Capital of Ashanti Region. The geographical location of this 1200-bed hospital, the road network of the country and commercial nature of Kumasi make it accessible to all parts of the country.

It is therefore no wonder it takes direct referrals from 12 out of the 16 administrative regions in Ghana. These are the Ashanti, Bono, Bono East, Ahafo, Western North, Savannah, Northern, North East, Upper East, Upper West and some parts of the Central and Eastern Regions of Ghana. It also receives patients from neighbouring countries such as Ivory Coast and Eastern Faso. In October 2019, the first heart surgery without making an incision was performed successfully at the hospital.

Historical Background

In the 1940s, there was a hospital located on the hill overlooking the Bantama township designated as African and European Hospitals. As their names implied, the African side treated Africans while the European side treated Europeans. However, on some rare occasions, high-ranking African government officials were given treatment in the European section.

By 1952, the need to construct a new hospital to cater for the fast increasing population in Kumasi and, therefore, the Ashanti Region arose. The European Hospital was, consequently, transferred to the Kwadaso Military Quarters to make way for the new project to begin. In 1954, the new hospital complex was completed and named the Kumasi Central Hospital and commenced operations in 1955. The name was later changed to the Komfo Anokye Hospital in honour and memory of the powerful and legendary fetish priest, Komfo Anokye.

The hospital became a Teaching Hospital in the training of Medical Students following the establishment of the School of Medical Sciences (SMS) of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi in 1975.

The Hospital currently has a work force of about 4,000 workers with varied professional backgrounds offering quality clinical and non-clinical care and training to the people of Ghana and beyond. For ease of administration and specialisation, the hospital has been divided into 15 Directorates made up of 13 clinical Directorates and two non-clinical Directorates. There also a number of supporting clinical and non-clinical Units.

The Clinical Directorates include the following:

1. Emergency Medicine,
2. Surgery,
3. Trauma and Orthopaedics,
4. Medicine,
5. Obstetrics and Gynaecology,
6. Child Health,
7. Family Medicine,
8. Oncology,
9. Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat (EENT),
10. Laboratory Services,
11. Radiology,
12. Oral Health; and
13. Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Directorates.

The Non-Clinical Directorates are:

1. Domestics Services, and
2. Technical Services.

Our Vision

To become a centre of excellence in the provision of specialist healthcare services

Our Mission

To provide quality services to meet the needs and expectations of all its clients. This will be achieved through well-motivated and committed staff applying best practice and innovativeness.

Governance

• The Ghana Health Services and Teaching Hospitals Act 525, 1996 established autonomous Teaching Hospital Boards.
• The hospital is governed by a Board made up of 4 Non-Executive members (government appointees), 6 Executive members and the Dean of the School of Medical Sciences.
• The hospital operates within the Ministry of Health broad Policy Framework.
• The Chief Executive is in charge of the day to day management of the hospital.