A senior Nigerian military officer, Major General Kamal Ishola Yusuf, has built a surgical theatre for the Ho Technical University (HTU) clinic in the Volta Region.
The Chief of Defence Accounts and Budget Officer at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja, who is an alumnus of HTU, said the gesture was in response to the growing enrolment and needs of the university. The cost of the theatre was not disclosed.
Rationale
Maj. Gen. Yusuf said HTU had over the years, produced great men and women of substance who were working in various sectors and, therefore, deserved some gratitude from its alumni.
“HTU is the foundation of careers and it is only proper we all support this noble institution to attain greater heights in its mission,” he said.
Maj. Gen. Yusuf said there was no point in acquiring education to a high level if the knowledge attained did not benefit humanity. He, therefore, entreated the alumni of HTU to network on common platforms, gather and commit resources towards the development of the institution.
Maj. Gen. Yusuf, who is a member of the 1984 year group of the then Ho Technical Institute, said the university was growing from strength to strength and must, therefore, be supported to become a centre of excellence.
The 17-bed clinic which had been named after Maj. Gen. Yusuf, attends to about 2,000 patients monthly. Last year, the clinic, that also serves nearby communities, attended to about 16,852 patients.
Present at the event were some mates of Maj. Gen.Yusuf, including personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces, staff and students of the university.
Relief
The Head of the HTU Clinic, Dr Redeemer Seyram Fiebor, said the theatre was an immense relief to staff of the clinic, which hitherto rented theatres at the 7MRS at the Volta Barracks and Ho Royal Hospital to perform surgery on patients.
He said the inconvenience of carrying out such procedures at other facilities was now over and, therefore, needed to be celebrated. Dr Fiebor said that the clinic, which also had an ultrasound unit, carried out 34 successful surgeries at rented theatres in recent times.
“Now, we need to expand in terms of human resource, and we hope the Ghana Health Service will second some staff to us,” he said.
Appreciation
The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Ben Q. Honyenuga, expressed appreciation to Maj. Gen. Yusuf for the support. He said construction of the theatre was ample testimony to the university’s mission to train great leaders to serve mankind.
Source: Graphic.com
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