The Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) has been facing severe water supply challenges for the past ten days due to operational issues with the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), including major damage to the hospital’s main supply pipeline.
In response, KATH management has implemented emergency measures to mitigate the impact on clinical services. These include sourcing water from alternative means such as water tankers from the hospital itself, the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA), and private operators. However, given the hospital’s size and high patient numbers, the current supply has proven insufficient.
The Minister of Health and the Ashanti Regional Minister have intervened to secure additional water tankers to supplement the existing supply. Furthermore, KATH is in discussions with GWCL to re-route water supply through an alternative line as a long-term solution.
The hospital management has emphasized that every effort is being made to minimize the impact of the crisis on healthcare services. Additionally, KATH has appealed for a dedicated pipeline from GWCL, as the current shared arrangement with other hospitals in Kumasi has been unreliable. Expanding the hospital’s main reservoir has also been suggested as a necessary measure to prepare for future shortages.
KATH, one of Ghana’s leading referral hospitals, serves over 6,000 staff members, 4,000 medical and nursing students, 1,300 outpatient department (OPD) patients, and thousands of daily visitors. The hospital is calling for urgent interventions to ensure uninterrupted water supply and the smooth running of its operations.
