Browsing by Author "Agyemang, John Kwaku"

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    Assessing the maternal death audit management system at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital using the National (MOH) audit guidelines as reference
    (2004) Agyemang, John Kwaku
    Maternal death is defined as the death of a woman pregnant or within 42 days following termination of pregnancy, irrespective of duration and site of the pregnancy, from any cause related to or aggravated by pregnancy or its management but not from accidental or incidental causes. (Suleiman,1999). Medical Death Audit is an integral part of modem medicine (Irish Medical Journal, 2001). Audit is of Latin derivation, which means hearing (Arnold et al, 1992). Clinical audit is systematic and critical analysis of quality of clinical care, including the procedures used for diagnosis and treatment, the associated use of resources and the effect of care on the outcome and quality of life for the patient. Even though, maternal death is very high especially in the developing countries including Ghana, information on maternal death audits and its impact in the overall quality of health care. This study examined the Management System of Maternal Death Audit at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi. The objective of the study included examining the structure, process and outcome of maternal death audit at KATH so as to give recommendation to improving maternal death thereby reducing maternal mortality. A descriptive study with a cross-sectional design, a total of fifty management/staff was interviewed with a questionnaire. Also a checklist was designed to review one hundred and eighty nine (189) cases of maternal deaths that occurred from 2001-2003. The findings showed the average maternal mortality ratio at KATH is 9.5 1/1000 live births. There is no Maternal Audit Committee at KATH that reviews maternal deaths. In fact, it was found that meeting termed “maternal conference” are rarely organized. Such meeting was held only once. Proceedings of such meeting are not recorded neither are standard forms used to review maternal deaths. From the study, it was evident that there were no dissemination of findings of such meetings and therefore no feedback. This is at the peril of improving maternal health. ‘The practice at KATH was found to be at variance with what has been prescribed by the Ministry of Health as enshrined in the Maternal Death Audit Guidelines document, 2002. Appropriate recommendations have been made to Management, Staff and other stakeholders at KATH to improve the practice of auditing maternal death so as to reduce the high maternal mortality at the hospital.
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    Examining effective procurement procedures of goods in Public Universities - a case of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi.
    (2008-11-17) Agyemang, John Kwaku
    The study examined the effectiveness of procurement of goods as a financial control adopted by the management of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi. Effective internal controls promote efficiency, reduce the risk of asset loss, and ensure the reliability of financial statements and compliance with laws and regulations. For effective control, KNUST has in place Financial and Stores Regulation Act enacted by Parliament in 1961 as amended from time to time. This serves as a benchmark for all financial transactions in the university. The study employed both qualitative and quantitative methods where primary and secondary data were used to ascertain the necessary information needed for the analysis. The research findings showed that procurement rules in the KNUST Financial and Stores Regulation Act 1961 as reviewed from time to time, is in line with the Public Procurement Act 2003 (Act 663). The Public Procurement Act 2003 (Act 663) is a major factor that influences procurement processes, as such public institutions should adopt, use and comply. Though KNUST members of staff are aware of the existence of the Public Procurement Act 2003 (Act 663) they have little knowledge on what it entails due to the fact that seminars on procurement are not held for them. The existence of bureaucratic processes involved in procurement of goods is too cumbersome, which takes three to six months to complete one procurement process leading to delays, splitting of items and dodging of procurement procedures. (This happens in a way of the user department finding a credible, reputable and competitive supplier, and making a requisition through the procurement officer to the procurement committee for approval and receipt of the goods). It might in a way affect the economic benefit of the item since time may elapse for its use. To the best of my knowledge, no study has been conducted in the field of effective procurement procedures in public universities since the inception of the Public Procurement Act 2003 (Act 663). Finally, time and financial resource constraints limited the study to a sample of eighty six members of staff where 58 responded to the study.