A theatre lamp made by Ing. Wireko-Brobby and Ing. Wireko-Brobby showing his drip stand
THE HEAD of the Electrical Engineering Unit under the Technical Services Directorate of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi, has made a passionate appeal to President Akufo-Addo to consider the setting up of a plant to produce basic medical equipment to address pressing needs in the hospitals.
Ing. Emmanuel Wireko-Brobby said the factory could be built under the government’s One District One Factory (IDIF) policy to strategically equip hospitals, clinics and other industries with simple tools to enhance health care delivery.
Ing. Wireko-Brobby, a product of KNUST, has single-handedly manufactured more than 10 medical equipment including theatre lamp, wheelchair, patient bed and x-ray viewer.
Others are snellen viewer, radiant warmer (a phototherapy device), drip stand, prosthetic arm, water purity tester, screen leg crutch and hand cleanser which are branded as Wirbtech products.
Currently, he is researching into renewable energy for electrical power generation, but he said inadequate funding and lack of support from government and corporate organisations have stalled mass production of his medical equipment.
In a correspondence, he noted that inventions and innovations were the surest way to boost economic development and deal with illegal mining and other non-productive activities among the youth.
According to him, many things can be produced in the country to reduce unemployment and poverty if corporate organisations also took bold steps to partner and sponsor the youth with unique creative abilities.
He said while many nations see technological advancement as the new world order for national development, Ghana continues to focus only on natural resources.
“Malaysia overtook Ghana when value was added to their oil palm plantation which Ghana had already taken the lead,” he said.
He wondered why in 2021, there is still ‘no beds syndrome’ in hospitals when they can easily be produced locally when people like him are enabled to do so.
Ing. Wireko-Brobby, who was adjudged KATH’s overall best worker in 2019 for his ingenuity and good work ethics, bemoaned that successive governments have paid least attention to creativity among the youth in the area of innovation and invention.
He insisted that creative arts were not only found in the movie industry, but also in the manufacturing sector of the economy.
FROM James Quansah, Kumasi