Serious Congestion at the Bongo District Hospital

29-09-2011                         

Danger looms at the Bongo District hospital in the Upper East Region as patients admitted at the female and children’s ward compete for bed, a situation which health experts have described as awkward and unacceptable. Radio Ghana’s visit to the hospital saw some patients receiving medical attention on the floor, whilst more than two children are made to share a common bed. Sick attendance had no option than to assist the health professionals to perform their duties. The situation has remain a major source of worry to health professionals manning the hospital because most patients particularly, children stand the risk of contracting other infectious and communicable diseases. The situation at the Male ward of the hospital was not different as most of the beds were without mattresses. The Medical Superintendent at the hospital, Dr William Budu, told Radio Ghana that until something is done to arrest the situation, the lives of patients will continue to be in serious jeopardy. He appealed to authorities concern to act swiftly by assisting the hospital with additional ward to ease the congestion. He said though the sharing of beds by patients at the facility is unprofessional, the least they can do is to accommodate them since they cannot treat them on out patient basis.   A similar problem, he narrated occurred at the Zebilla and Builsa hospital, but took the intervention of their respective district assemblies to bring the situation under normalcy. Dr Budu therefore appealed to stakeholders’ particularly the district assembly to come to the aid of the hospital. A health administrator at the facility, Ms Estella Abazesi, said the 61-bed capacity hospital, operates with additional sub- district hospitals and receives about 100 cases a day. The hospital, she further lamented, is currently manned with only one doctor supported by other three Cuban doctors. These doctors, she indicated, are being assisted by other staff nurses that cater for patients with seasonal ailments like malaria, anaemia and pneumonia among other complicated diseases. She said though there are plans to expand the facility, the hospital lack the needed material and financial capabilities to execute their set objectives and urged all and sundry to assist in that regard. When contacted by Radio Ghana, the Upper East Regional Director of Health Services, Dr John Koko Awoonor-Williams said the Bongo hospital which used to be a health post is not properly structured, adding that it’s lay out do not befit a status of a district hospital and requires expansion work to be able to function as expected. According to him, facilities at the hospital are woefully inadequate, thus putting intense pressure on the limited available resources. He therefore hinted that his outfit is working tirelessly to avert the situation and entreated patients to bear with the current situation. To this effect, an emergency meeting involving stakeholders in the health sector would soon be held to chart the way forward. Dr Awoonor-Williams also commended staff of the hospital for their selfless devotion and commitment to work and encouraged them to continue to offer quality health care to the people.

GBC                                                            END                                                                       IA