DCE Doubles As Hospital Anaesthetist

The unavailability of an anaesthetist at the Juaso District Hospital in the Asante Akim-South District has compelled the authorities to fall on the services of the District Chief Executive (DCE), a professional anaesthetist, in the event of emergencies.

Mr. Abdul Karim Boakye-Yiadom, who until his appointment in April this year as a DCE is an anaesthetist at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi and has to sacrifice part of his busy schedule to help save lives at the hospital.

The DCE's swift response to emergencies has won him many admirers who see him as selfless and committed to service to humanity.

 He has so far handled four emergency caesarean and one ectopic surgical cases.

On September 27 this year, the DCE, who was on his way to a programme had to rush back to the hospital where a young pregnant woman who had a raptured ectopic pregnancy required immediate surgery.

The patient who had earlier been referred to KATH, rather went home for lack of transport and was rushed back to the hospital in critical condition some days later.

Dr. Ahmed Habib, Medical Superintendent of the hospital, told the GNA that the DCE had been of great help to the hospital in the absence of permanent anaesthetist.

He said the DCE had never failed the hospital whenever he was called to assist irrespective of his schedule, saying hitherto, the hospital had to invite anaesthetists from other health facilities whose services were paid for.

Dr. Habib noted that despite the difficult circumstances in which the hospital found itself, it performs an average of 30 surgeries in a month.

 He advocated the appointment of professionals as DCEs so that they could bring their expertise to bear on the development of their districts.

Mr. Boakye-Yiadom when contacted said as the DCE and trained anaesthetists it was incumbent on him to place his services at the disposal of the hospital under the circumstance until the vacancy was filled.

He disclosed that the Assembly was sponsoring two nurses from the hospital to be trained as anaesthetists with an amount of GH¢4,000, adding that one of the trainees would resume work this month.