Korle Bu Cries For Help

MANAGEMENT OF Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) have launched an appeal for the public to come to the rescue of the facility.

Head of the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department at the hospital, Professor Sam Anenyi Obed who made the call said 'even provision of service is not easy for us; we just don't have the money.'

This, according to him was due to the fact that Korle-Bu was the mother of all health facilities, even for referral cases in the country .

He made these comments at a ceremony to rededicate the obstetrics and gynaecology ward refurbished by Latex Foam Ghana Limited.

The project which involved repainting of the ward, refitting of new facilities in the washroom and the provision of bed sheets and curtains is estimated to have cost GH¢18,000.

 The place was christened 'Latex Foam Ward E' in 1999 after extensive renovation work on it by the foam manufacturing company.

Speaking at the ceremony, Prof. Obed said 'we in this department are not able to cope with maintenance simply because the IGF (Internally Generated Fund) that is supposed to be used for maintenance and other facilities is just not available'

This he said was evident in the fact that almost all patients who attend the facility are on free delivery under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and that the payment for NHIS care is about 40% of the cost of service they deliver.

Prof Obed noted that even that was still not adequate since central administration takes out another 40% for utilities and payment of internally employed staff and therefore has to use the remaining amount to run all its services.

 'I have said all this so that other corporate bodies in this country will come to the aid of women's care in this hospital,' he added asking, 'if we are not able to cope then what happens to them?'

The department head consequently stressed the hope that other corporate bodies would follow the footsteps of Latex Foam to rescue the facility from degeneration.

On her part, Public Relations Officer of Latex Foam Ghana Limited, Gifty Asare Ekeocha pledged the company's continuous support for the hospital, saying 'on behalf of management of Latex Foam we are very excited to rededicate this ward to the hospital.'

She also asked corporate Ghana to come to the aid of Korle-Bu. 'There are more places that need attention; we can't do it all. We believe that when we all come together and help then we can have a holistic positive impact. We would encourage corporate Ghana to follow our example and do more as well,' she said.

By Charles Takyi-Boadu