The Volta Regional Minister, James Gunu, has donated two passenger tricycles to the Ho Teaching Hospital (HTH) to support the establishment of an internal patient shuttle service aimed at improving mobility, convenience, and the overall patient experience within the hospital. 

The donation follows an appeal by the governing Board of Ho Teaching Hospital during a recent engagement with the Regional Minister in which the Board highlighted the need for a dedicated internal patient transport system to facilitate movement across the hospital's extensive campus. 

The two tricycles will be an important component of the hospital's new patient transport system and for other hospital users who may have difficulty navigating the large hospital environment. 

The initiative is particularly expected to benefit elderly patients, post-operative patients, persons with mobility challenges, patients recovering from illness or procedures and other patients requiring assistance to move between service points within the hospital. 

The introduction of the shuttle service is expected to significantly improve the patient journey by reducing the physical burden associated with walking long distances between departments, clinics, diagnostic units, pharmacies and other service points.

For elderly and mobility-impaired patients in particular, navigating a large hospital environment can be physically demanding and stressful.  

The Volta regional minister in a short handling over ceremony said, the shuttle service will provide a safer and more convenient alternative, helping to reduce patient fatigue, discomfort and anxiety while improving access to essential hospital services. 

“Beyond enhancing patient convenience, the initiative is expected to generate important operational benefits for the hospital.  

“By facilitating the movement of patients between service points, the shuttle service could help reduce delays in accessing care, improve patient flow, minimize missed or delayed appointments, and enhance the overall efficiency of service delivery,” he noted.

It will also help to free nursing and clinical staff from some non-clinical patient escort duties, allowing them to devote more time to direct patient care and other critical clinical responsibilities. 

The hospital, through its Board Chairman, Dr Delanyo Yao Tsidi Dorvlo, expressed profound appreciation to the Minister for responding positively to the Board's appeal and for demonstrating his continued commitment to the growth and development of the Ho Teaching Hospital. 

“This intervention went beyond the provision of transportation and that it represented a practical investment in patient dignity, comfort, safety and service excellence while reinforcing the shared responsibility of stakeholders to create a healthcare environment that responded to the needs of patients,” Dr Delanyo said. 

“On behalf of the governing board, I want to assure you that this will go a long way to help in our healthcare delivery,” he assured.  

On his part, the CEO Mr Hintaman Mbroh,said the gesture aligned with the hospital's commitment to improving patient experience and called for similar support from development partners, corporate organisations, philanthropists, and other stakeholders to enhance healthcare delivery.  

“We want to appeal to partners, corporate institutions and individuals to come onboard to support the hospital,” Mr Mbroh appealed.