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01.08.2014 Health

More Death Tolls Recorded For Cholera

By Daily Guide
Rita Odonkor taking care of one of the patients at the La General HospitalRita Odonkor taking care of one of the patients at the La General Hospital
01.08.2014 LISTEN

Rita Odonkor taking care of one of the patients at the La General Hospital

The cholera epidemic seems to be claiming more lives by the day as six people have been confirmed dead in at the La General Hospital.

Reported cases of the disease have also increased in the metropolis, with the La General Hospital recording almost 200 cases from Madina, Teshie, Nungua, Osu and Art Centre.

The Out Patient Department (OPD) of the hospital, which has been converted into a cholera unit because the existing unit can only accommodate 13 people at a time, was filled with patients when DAILY GUIDE visited the facility.

Benches have been turned into beds for patients. The situation has grown worst that nurses have to offer their chairs for patients to sit for treatment.

'We are receiving a lot of patients by the day, they are coming in their numbers,' Dr Patrick Frimpong, Medical Superintendent of the hospital said.

He said out of the six deaths recorded, four were brought in dead with two deaths occurring at the facility. The cause of the death, he hinted, is attributed to late visit to the hospital.

Dr Frimpong added that the situation is overwhelming although the hospital has received basic equipment from the regional medical stores.

'We try to discharge them early so we can accommodate others depending on it severity but it is better because we don't send them away,' he said.

Dr Frimpong however refuted the claim that they had referred a patient to Mamobi Polyclinic and that the hospital had turned away patients.

'When the OPD was converted into a cholera unit, we didn't want them to get in contact with the patient so we closed the door and asked them to use another route to the new OPD created as a result of the situation,' Rita Odonkor, the nurse in-charge of the OPD and Emergency Unit of the hospital told DAILY GUIDE.

'We have had to forgo our off-days and work late just to ensure that our patients receive the treatment they need,' she said.

Dr Frimpong also advised the public to keep good personal hygiene and ensure their environment is clean.

'We don't know when it is going to stop, but we hope with the onset of the dry season it will reduce,' Dr Frimpong anticipated.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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