Trust Hospital acquires DNA equipment

The Trust Hospital Company Limited (TTHCL) has inaugurated its first ever deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) paternal testing equipment at Osu in Accra.

The equipment will be used to raise awareness among Ghanaians of DNA matters and results of requests could be obtained within 24 hours.

Milestone

Unveiling the equipment, Mr Ernest Thompson, the Director General of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), said the introduction of the facility marked another milestone for the hospital.

He said the TTHCL had, over the years, been growing through the establishment of satellite clinics and the expansion of facilities.

He announced that the hospital would soon open its modern Mother and Child Hospital at Osu to focus on issues concerning maternal and child health.

Dreaming big

Mr Thompson charged the hospital to “dream big” by acquiring land for the establishment of a complex hospital facility. 

“The board of the TTHCL needs to chart a course and we at SSNIT are prepared to support them,” he added.

He further entreated the leadership of the hospital to ensure that the machine was maintained regularly.

Growth

Dr Darius Kofi Osei, the General Manager of the TTHCL, noted that the hospital, which was established as a non-profit centre to provide healthcare    services for  the staff of SSNIT and their dependents, was later upgraded into a fully fledged hospital and had extended its services to the public.

He said apart from offering healthcare services for ear, throat, eye, dental, orthopaedic and plastic surgery, it was also running urology, neuro and diabetic clinics to augment the activities at the main Trust Hospital.

“We have six clinics at Adenta,Tema, Dome, Sakumono, Dansoman and the SSNIT Pension House in Accra,” he noted.

On the DNA equipment, Dr Osei noted that companies and laboratories, as well as individuals, would not need to travel abroad for DNA services.

“The Trust Hospital, with this, will offer distinct DNA paternity tests. It will enable requestors to confirm biological paternity between the alleged father and the child for their own knowledge. It, therefore, becomes the most convenient and cost-effective option in Ghana,” he observed.

Mr Salim Aissaoui, a consultant of Life Technologies, a US-based company which installed the machine, noted that the machine would use a Europe-based approach to setting out standards.