Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH)
Smile Train Cleft Leadership Center
Kumasi, Ghana
At a Glance
- Founded in 2025, this Smile Train Cleft Leadership Center represents a joint commitment by Smile Train, the Government of Ghana, the Ghana Cleft Foundation, and KATH
- KATH has been a Smile Train partner since 2004
- Our local partners at KATH have performed more than 1,670 Smile Train-sponsored cleft surgeries
History
KATH became a teaching hospital in 1975 and currently has a workforce of 4,000. It is divided into 15 directorates focused upon various clinical and non-clinical areas and takes care of patients from across Ghana, the majority of whom are from low-resource settings.
In 2005, members of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital Cleft Clinic recognized the need for a center focused on caring for underserved children with clefts throughout Ghana. They also recognized the need for training opportunities for cleft specialists and research to learn more about the prevalence of clefts in Ghana and their impact. To address these needs, the Ghana Cleft Foundation was incorporated in 2006, led by founding volunteer board members from across diverse fields of cleft care. Smile Train supports the Ghana Cleft Foundation with programs including cleft surgery, VPD surgery, surgical follow-up care, speech, and orthodontics.
Comprehensive cleft care programs at KATH include:
- Plastic and reconstructive surgery
- VPD surgery
- ENT services
- Child health and family medicine
- Orthodontics
- Oral Health
- Speech services
- Anesthesia and intensive care
- Pharmaceutical services
“This milestone elevates Africa’s medical professionals in diverse fields of cleft care, boosting their credibility while reassuring our patients of holistic, quality care delivered close to their doorstep.”
Prof. Peter Donkor
1st Vice-President, West African College of Surgeons
Smile Train Global Medical Advisory Board Member and African Medical Advisory Council Member
Immediate Past Vice-President, Ghana Cleft Foundation
Director, KATH Cleft/Craniofacial Clinic
“Cleft care in Africa has come a long way. We appreciate the goodwill of the Ghanaian Government in partnering with Smile Train, the Ghana Cleft Foundation, and the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) to create Africa’s first Smile Train Cleft Leadership Center. We hope that this creates a ripple effect across the continent so that more patients receive safe, quality, and comprehensive care from trained professionals within their communities.”
Mrs. Nkeiruka Obi
Vice President and Regional Director, Africa
Research and Publications
- Agbenorku P, Ansah S, Acheampong A, Sabbah D, Bankas D, Adu E, Plange-Rhule G, Adiyiah Y, Donkor P. “Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital Multidisciplinary Cleft Clinic.”
- Donkor P, Bankas DO, Agbenorku P, Plange-Rhule G, Ansah SK. “Cleft lip and palate surgery in Kumasi, Ghana: 2001-2005.”
- Oti AA, Obiri-Yeboah S, Donkor P. “Aesthetic outcome and the need for revision of unilateral cleft lip repair at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.”
- Sommer CL, Wankier AP, Obiri-Yeboah S, Gyamfi S, Frimpong BA, Dickerson T. "A Qualitative Analysis of Factors Impacting Comprehensive Cleft Lip and Palate Care in Ghana."
Contact
KATH Contact
P.O. BOX 1934 Adum-Kumasi
+233 266 083 585
+233 556 490 029
GCF Contact
A1-B1 Concourse
Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital
Kumasi, Ghana
[email protected]
+233-(0)3220 40819
+233 (0)2752 01020 | (0)2409 76226