Mr Divine Kporha, a nurse from the Volta Region, says his humanitarian activities and volunteerism are the secrets that won him the 2023 National Best Nurse & Midwife Award.
He said raising funds personally to construct a neo-natal intensive care unit (NICU) at his facility and constructing toilet for cured lepers, among many other works won him the honours.
“…The construction of a well equipped neo-natal intensive care unit at the Ketu South Municipal Hospital was made possible by funding from the Australian High Commission through the Mental Health and Wellbeing Foundation. They gave me 42,000 Australian dollars to be able to set up that facility”, he said.
Mr Kporha emerged the overall best nurse in the country at the fourth edition of the Ghana Registered Nurse and Midwives Association’s (GRNMA) Annual National Dinner and Awards night at the Kempinski Hotel, Accra.
He said he also got incubators, ventilators, radiant warmers, and other modern and sophisticated hospital kits for the Hospital through his philanthropic efforts.
Mr. Kporha took home a brand-new Nissan Ameri Saloon car with 1.8 engine capacity, a plague, shash, a citation and undisclosed cash for his contribution towards the improvement of maternal health in the Ketu South Municipality.
The awards scheme, according to Mrs. Perpetual Ofori-Ampofo, President of GRNMA, was created to motivate nurses and midwives to strive for excellence, innovation and an increased commitment to service that involved saving lives.
Other nurses and midwives received awards classified under various categories.
Under the Special Category Awards, Naomi Oti, an oncology nurse specialist took the Dr. Dora Ann Kisseh International Achievement award whilst Richard Amankwa, a nurse at the Assin Banchiase CHPS compound in the Central Region, took home the Rural Service Award.
Kate Otoo, a senior midwife based at the Pentecost Hospital in Madina, Greater-Accra Region, won the Regional Best Nurse/Midwife category.
She took home a laptop, a cash price of GHC 3000, plaque, shash and a citation.
Ms Otoo and Evelyn Osei Acquah, an oncology nurse specialist from the Northern Regional Hospital, were adjudged the first and second national runners-up respectively.
Kate took home a cash amount of GHC50,000 cedis whilst Evelyn took home GHC40,000 cedis aside a plaque, citation and a shash.
Odeneho Kwafo Akoto III, the Paramount Chief of Akwamu State in the Eastern Region, encouraged all nurses to keep up the good work.
The GRNMA awards was instituted in the 2020 at the 60th anniversary of GRNMA to recognise and motivate nurses and midwives, who through their service, initiatives and innovations distinguished themselves in the healthcare sector within their various fields of specialties.
Source: GNA
