Overstretched Ridge Hospital may stop further admissions

The Ridge Hospital

The Ridge Hospital in Accra may soon halt further admissions if urgent steps are not taken to expand facilities.

The Medical Superintendent at the hospital, Dr. Obeng Apore says in the absence of facility expansion, the measure is the obvious choice to save lives.

He told Joy News the hospital is struggling to cope with the number of patients visiting the facility daily and he is particularly worried that pregnant women sometimes have to queue to deliver at the hospital.

Patients thought to be doing well are sometimes charged ahead of time to save space for other patients needing care.

"Go to the Maternity (Ward) people queue to deliver. Go to the OPD we have just moved to what they call the Tent Ward otherwise (about a week ago) people were being nursed on benches at the OPD. Everywhere is jam-packed, we are bursting at our seams and a time will come when we cannot admit anymore because everywhere is full."

Last Tuesday, the Emergency Staff Quarters of the hospital was gutted.

Story by Joy News/Ghana