Government has decided to bear the cost of separating a Siamese twin at the Greater Accra regional hospital (Ridge Hospital).
The decision was announced by Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Osei-Opare on behalf of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, when she visited at the hospital Monday morning to meet parents of the twins and team that is going to undertake the procedure.
The Siamese twins, born to Samuel Addo and Rebecca Bansah, were joined at the head when they were delivered at the hospital recently. Specialist at the hospital have offered to perform the procedure to separate the twins and had appealed for some GHC 3 million to begin the complicated surgery.
The surgery will cost a total of GHc15 million; GHc3million for consumables and GHc12million for the purchase of equipment needed for the procedure which which is expected to last 50-hours.
The Chief of Staff said the President was particular about the situation of the children when Cabinet was informed by the Health Minister hence the resolve by a cross section of experts from medical facilities, both private and public nationwide, to carry out the complicated surgery locally.
That, according to her was what made President Akufo-Addo to take a decision that government bears the cost of the operation and all other expenses needed for the procedure to make sure there is no mishap with Ghana’s attempt a to undertake such a complex surgery.
She commended the team of medical experts to perform the operation locally for their courage since according it would advance Ghana’s record in the field of medicine when done successfully.
She therefore noted that government is upgrading the infrastructure needed to ensure the success of the surgery, upbeat that the procedure would place Ghana at the top of history, and make the country a go-to destination for medical operations hitherto obtained elsewhere.
“This is going to be a historic opportunity for Ghana to take the a lead in many medical spheres on the continent, and contribute to the vision of Ghana being a medical hub in West Africa,” she held, adding that Government would release funding timeously and give the team all the support to ensure that they are able to save the life of the children.
On his part, Dr Samuel Kaba, a Neurosurgeon and lead surgeon at the Greater Accra regional Hospital said the operation would change the landscape of country’s medical expertise, and put Ghana on a higher pedestal in the curative spheres.
He was optimistic that the equipment to be purchased for the operation would bring to an end the situation where Ghanaians sought medical help abroad.
He intimated that some 160 medical and non-medical personnel, including all specialties have been drafted for the operation that would be carried out in five stages over a one-year period.
He said when successfully undertaken, the procedure would have been one of the most historic moments in Ghana’s medical history and the would have also been the first in the sub-region.
He thus commended government for the decision to sponsor the procedure which he said reposes confidence in the country’s medical facilities and professionals.
By Charles Takyi-Boadu, Presidential Correspondent