Prof. Jonathan Laryea, a visiting Consultant Colorectal Surgeon from the University of Arkansas in the USA has donated medical consumables worth over 10, 000.00 United States Dollars (USD) to the Surgery Directorate of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital

(KATH) to help improve colorectal surgery services at the hospital.

The items included sutures, surgical mesh, dermabond, rigid protoscopes, lone star retractors, colostomy suppliers, long diathermy tips, laparoscopic clip applies, and laparoscopic trocars among others.

Prof. Laryea made the donation at the end of his 10-day capacity building visit to the hospital under Ghana College of Physician and Surgeons (GCPS) partnership aimed at developing a Colorectal Surgery Fellowship programme at the hospital.

Prof. Laryea described his visit as hugely rewarding as he had gained a new level of respect for the surgeons at the hospital. He said he was going to try to mobilise more
medical supplies for the hospital in other to make the burden of expanding access to specialist colorectal surgery services a little lighter.

"As part of the partnership, I came to help train surgeons here and to help build capacity and through that we brought the supplies and equipment to make the work easier.

"Our future plan is to have our specialist and consultants come in from time to time to help mentor the people here at KATH and hopefully we will be able to build that capacity
in a very short time so that we would have fully trained colorectal surgeons in the country", Prof. Laryea added.

Dr. Kwadwo Sarbeng, Medical Director, who received the donation on behalf of management, thanked Prof. Laryea for his kind gesture and the insights and skills shared with the surgical residents at the hospital.

Dr. Charles Dally, Head of Surgery Directorate, on his part was grateful to Prof. Laryea and Dr. Alison Wenholz, his surgery resident, for helping to advance the establishment of the colorectal surgery sub-specialty at KATH and hoped that the programme would grow from strength to strength.

"For the past few days, we have engaged in a number of surgeries and it has all been successful thanks to the support of the team from the University of Arkansas" he concluded.

Others present at the programme were Dorothy Yeboah, Nurse Manager, Mr. Samuel Bediako Asare, Business Manager, Linda Fokoi and Agnes Owusu Boateng, both Deputy Chief Nursing Officers.
Picture shows: Prof. Laryea (middle) handing over the items to Dr. Kwadwo Sarbeng (left), Medical Director and Dr. Charles Dally (right),HOD, Surgery Directorate.

Sompaonline.com/Nana Yaw Boamah