The lack of bed space in some major hospitals in the Ashanti region, with its attendant strain on healthcare delivery, is giving rise to concerns about the slow progress of construction works in five major health facilities in the region.
Facilities at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), Kumasi South and Manhyia hospitals are overstretched.
Meanwhile, stalled hospital projects at Sewua, Afari, Konongo and Fomena could provide a total of 1,850 beds.
Residents have bemoaned the slow pace of work on these health facilities, following the recent death of a seven-month-old baby at KATH due to the ‘no bed syndrome’.
Little Afia Sika Opoku Gyamfi had breathing problems and was referred to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital from the Asokwa Children's Hospital.
Her father, Francis Opoku Gyamfi, said his daughter gasped heavily for breath every 30 seconds even under oxygen at his first port of call.
Health officials at the Asokwa Hospital later informed Francis that the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital lacked beds, thus could not accommodate his sick daughter.
“I couldn’t stand the situation. The way she was breathing and she’d be shouting at least every 30 seconds. I asked the man in charge and he said they have called the Ambulance Service to take her to Komfo Anokye.”
“Komfo Anokye said there’s no bed to accommodate my daughter, so they would wait until the next morning. She died ,” he recounted.
Little Sika represents many who lost relatives due to the lack of space and an overstretched single referral point for Ashanti region and beyond.
The Public Relations Officer (PRO) for KATH, Kwame Frimpong, indicates the Hospital’s facilities are overstretched.
“If you come to the Accident and Emergency Centre, the Orange Unit, which was supposed to cater for 12 patients, we’ve added beds to the extent that sometimes you’d come and see up to 56 patients in the space that was given to us for 12 patients.”
“Until we have reached that point where we have complementary facilities to take some of the pressure off Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, there will be times that we’d have exhausted our capacity and we’d not be in the position to admit additional patients,” he said.
Perhaps the solution to providing a second, third or fourth alternative to health care in the Ashanti Region lies in the completion of health projects at Sewua, Konongo, Fomena, and Afari.
Residents are worried about the current situation. They want government to complete existing projects that have been abandoned before going ahead to construct new ones.
Currently, construction works at these facilities are between 70 and 90 per cent.
A fact-checker, Eugene Osei-Tutu, says the state should inject more funds into the completion of such projects which have been abandoned for some time now.
When completed, they could provide a total of 1,850 beds to boost the Region’s ailing health delivery drive.
Latest Stories
-
From Gold Coast Ghana to Gold Cost Ghana?
13 mins -
There hasn’t been enough awareness about new curriculum – Parent
16 mins -
betPawa to invest GH¢7m into Ghana Premier League and Women’s FA Cup in 5yrs
21 mins -
Child poverty can be addressed with the right priorities and policies – UNICEF
21 mins -
Ghana’s exchange rate problems need more than gold purchases – IMANI
27 mins -
IMANI calls for review of Ghana’s procurement law to enhance transparency
27 mins -
Women in Worship organisers mad at Nigeria’s Ada Ehi over ‘no show’
28 mins -
Everything is more difficult now – Guardiola
33 mins -
Mahama will make the economy viable for the youth to become entrepreneurs – Osman Ayariga
38 mins -
East Legon crash: Police pursue TikTokers for ‘false claims’ about Salifu Amoako’s son’s location
1 hour -
Severe food shortage force some SHSs to serve repetitive meals
1 hour -
Don Julio 1942 launched by Guinness Ghana Breweries with an enchanting Halloween Ball celebration
1 hour -
3 Central Region MCEs intensify cholera control efforts after 5 deaths
1 hour -
Bawumia’s 12 ‘Bold Steps’ to expand educational opportunities for all
1 hour -
Mahama criticises NPP for accumulating energy debt to pass on to next NDC gov’t
1 hour