HOSPITAL’S HISTORY
St. John of God Hospital is located at Duayaw Nkwanta, the municipal capital of Tano North. It is the municipal hospital for Tano North and serves as the main referral center for Orthopedics and trauma cases in the Municipality and beyond. The hospital started as a Maternity home in 1953 before it was taken over by the Catholic Diocese of Kumasi in 1955 through an appeal made by the traditional council and erected to the status of a hospital in 1956. The hospital commenced its operation with the following staff: Dr. Adcock and Dr. Mrs. Magdalene Adcock (medical officers), Rev. Fr. Ooyen (Chaplain), Bro. John Velbert and Madam Comfort Marko, a ward assistant. These medical officers were Dutch expatriates and were succeeded by their compatriots after the expiration of their contract years of employment.
In 1959, three other ward assistants: Beatrice Kyerewaah, Rose Nsiah and Mary Anderson also joined the facility. The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese is the legal owner of the Hospital. Thus, Bishop Andrew van den Bronk (1955-1962) was the first owner of the hospital, followed by Bishop Joseph Amihere Essuah (1962-1969) and then Bishop Peter Akwasi Sarpong (1969- 1973) at the time the hospital was under the Kumasi Diocese. Ownership was transferred to Bishop James Kwadwo Owusu (1973-1997) when the hospital came under the supervision of the Sunyani Diocese.
From 1997 to date, the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Goaso, Bishop Peter Atuahene has been the legal owner of the hospital. In the year 2002, the bishop of Goaso invited the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Apostles to take over the administration of the hospital. The hospital has since seen tremendous improvement in all its aspect. This facility delivers health care services to the neighbouring towns and villages in the Ashanti Region and residents of the Tano North Municipal. The hospital is the only specialized orthopedics Centre in the Ahafo Region. It serves as a referral Centre for orthopedic and trauma cases for the three Northern Regions, part of the Ashanti region, Central, Western region and neighbouring Burkina Faso and La Cote D’voire.