Korle Bu Gets Speech And Language Centre

The Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) has commissioned a GH¢ 200,000 Speech and Language Centre to give comprehensive care to patients with hearing difficulties.

The refurbished Centre, located at the Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Department, would also assist patients recovering from stroke or major head and neck cancer surgeries for speech, voice and swallow rehabilitation.

Ms Karen Wylie, an Expatriate Speech and language Therapist, was very instrumental in supporting the hospital to establish the Centre.

Dr Kenneth Baidoo, Head of ENT Department, said the amount was raised through donations from the public and the hospital, and was grateful to all donors, especially the Australian Community and the High Commission in Ghana for supporting the Centre and the University of Ghana Speech and language Therapy Programme.

He also mentioned the generosity of Newmont, Awaa Waa Tuu, (a UTV Programme), Mr and Mrs Agbozo and other individuals, whose contributions helped in bringing the Centre into fruition.

He said autistic children, cleft lip and palate patients and those who suffer from stuttering could be assisted by the Centre.

Dr Baidoo said adjacent rooms of the Centre are being developed as a paediatric audiology centre, incorporating a cochlear implant service.

'This February we will be engaging partners for this cochlear implant service and therefore very opportune to have this Centre on which will rest most of the work and success of this proposed service,' he said.

He said such a service relied on highly trained professionals and so Management was proposing to engage at least six trained professionals from the Speech and language Therapy programme at the University of Ghana, Legon, to man the Centre.

Mr Andrew Barnes, the Australia High Commissioner to Ghana, said they were grateful to be part of donors whose continuous generosity and contribution has made it possible to have such a facility to improve on healthcare delivery in the country.

Dr Elizabeth Bruce, Head of Pharmacy, KBTH, on behalf of Dr Felix Anyah, the Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Hospital thanked all for their benevolence.

GNA
By Patience Gbeze, GNA