In a significant gesture of compassion and corporate citizenship, the Mayor of Kumasi, Hon. Richard Kwasi Ofori Boadi Agyemang, in partnership with BAWA ROCK Limited, has donated an amount of GH₵200,000 to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) to assist discharged patients who are unable to settle their medical bills.
The donation, made as part of a broader Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, is aimed at alleviating the burden faced by vulnerable patients who, despite being medically fit for discharge, remain detained due to unpaid hospital bills.
Such situations, according to health authorities, continue to pose serious challenges to efficient healthcare delivery in major referral facilities across the country.
Speaking at the presentation ceremony, Hon. Richard Kwasi Ofori Boadi Agyemang underscored the far-reaching consequences of unpaid medical bills on the healthcare system. He explained that the phenomenon of detained patients contributes significantly to the persistent “no bed” syndrome, a situation where hospitals struggle to admit new patients due to lack of available bed space.
“When patients are unable to leave the hospital because of unpaid bills, it creates a chain reaction,” the Mayor noted. “Beds remain occupied, hospital staff are overstretched, resources are drained, and stress levels increase—not only for patients and their families but also for hardworking health professionals.”
He emphasized that the initiative reflects a shared commitment by the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly and private sector partners to support public health institutions and ensure that access to healthcare does not become an additional source of suffering for the poor and vulnerable.
The donation was presented on behalf of BAWA ROCK Limited by Mr. Eric Addai Boateng, Sustainability Officer of the company, who represented the Chief Executive Officer, Alhaji Rasheed BAWA Namoro. Mr. Boateng reiterated the company’s dedication to sustainable development and social impact, particularly in areas that directly affect the wellbeing of communities.
According to him, BAWA ROCK Limited believes that supporting healthcare delivery, especially for indigent patients, is not just a moral obligation but a vital investment in human capital. He assured the hospital of the company’s readiness to continue collaborating with public institutions to address pressing social needs.
Receiving the donation, the Chief Executive Officer of KATH, Dr. Med. Paa Kwesi Baidoo, expressed profound gratitude to the Mayor and BAWA ROCK Limited for their timely intervention.
He described the gesture as a major relief to both the hospital management and patients who find themselves trapped in difficult circumstances after treatment.
Dr. Baidoo noted that detained patients pose operational challenges for the hospital, limiting its capacity to respond to emergencies and new admissions.
He therefore appealed to other corporate bodies, philanthropists, and well-meaning individuals to emulate the example set by the Kumasi Mayor and BAWA ROCK Limited by offering sustained support to the hospital.
“This support goes beyond financial assistance; it restores dignity and hope to patients who have already endured pain and uncertainty,” he said.
The donation has been widely praised as a model of effective public-private partnership, highlighting how collaboration between government authorities and corporate entities can produce tangible benefits for society.
As Ghana’s second-largest teaching hospital and a major referral center for the northern sector of the country, KATH continues to play a critical role in healthcare delivery—making such interventions both timely and impactful.
The initiative serves as a reminder that addressing systemic challenges in healthcare requires collective responsibility, compassion, and sustained commitment from all sectors of society.
