SCORES OF residents in the Kumasi Metropolis joined staff, workers and management members including the Chief Executive Officer of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) to undertake a four hour brisk walk today through the principal streets of the city.

The physical activity was initiated to create awareness about the proposed comprehensive renovation of the existing blocks at KATH.

Launched few weeks ago by the Asantehene under the name Heal KATH, the project is intended to raise funds to carry out the renovation works pegged at a cost of Ten Million Dollars.

Today’s walk, the Chief Executive Officer of KATH, Professor Otchere Addai-Mensah said was an awareness creation venture where traders, shop keepers as well as shoppers were to be reached with the mode of contribution so they could also donate to support the Heal KATH project.

Details:

In an interview with the media after the walk, Prof Otchere Addai-Mensah said KATH was the only facility at the premier level in Ashanti that could respond to many referrals coming from about 12 out of the 16 regions of the country.

This, he noted makes it imperative for residents to contribute to its maintenance and retooling.

He noted that many may not have the resources or luxury to travel to other countries or elsewhere to cater for ailmemts they may be dealing with but putting KATH at an optimum level of operation and in a good environment was crucial for all in the region.

“I would like to take this opportunity to appeal to all residents of this region particularly those in Kumasi to donate their widow’s mite to support the project and help us put KATH in a position befitting it so that it can respond to referrals and other emergency cases”, the CEO appealed.

Routes of Walk:

Exactly 6am, many members of staff, workers and management members as well as some members of the public numbering about 200 assembled at the main entrance of the hospital.

The numbers however swelled up to about thousand at 8am, the time which was scheduled for the walk as many residents as well as shoppers joined from the Kumasi Central Police Station through to the Vodafone and Poku trading stretch.

From the Poku Trading route, the participants who were intermittently talking to shoppers and handing over flyers that contained modes of donation to the Heal KATH project took to the main Adum stretch and used Melcom road

The team meandered their way into the Kejetia main road where the Otumfuo Osei-Tutu II statue is.

From there the walking troupe took to the Roman Hill road and used the principal streets of Asafo.

The participants joined the Asawase road through to Manhyia and joined the Krofrom route to Suame roundabout and taking the Abrepo route they walked through to Bantama.

The team ended up at the main Polyclinic at the KAth where participants took some refreshments for the arduos task.

Story By Michael Ofosu-Afriyie, 

Kumasi.