GHC700,000 Korle-Bu equipment wasting away while doctors, patients cry for help

It has emerged that while patients are dying at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital for a lack of equipment, about GH₵700,000 worth of equipment are deteriorating in boxes.

CEO of the hospital, Dr Gilbert Buckle, told Joy News, some of the equipment do not meet the specifications requested, some equipment could not be used because the infrastructure where they are to be installed are not ready.

“So they stayed in boxes, now you open them up and because of the delay in using them the plastics and parts have become caked or become damaged”.

A health crisis has broken out at Korle-Bu after management announced the closure of three surgical clinics from February 6, 2016, a move that is set to worsen the plight of brain and spinal tumor patients seeking remedy.

Already, its Intensive Care Unit has been shut down for two years for renovation works.

The crisis is also down to a lack of logistics and equipment. A 21-year old undergrad died after she was asked to wait for six months before she could get surgery.

Her story is one of many frustrated families who have had to watch their loved ones die because of a lack of basic equipment such as nebulisers.

Doctors are struggling to perform emergency surgeries and Joy News' Hannah Odame reports only ‘extreme emergencies’ can be attended to.

While expressing disappointment, Dr Gilbert Buckle suggested the crisis is avoidable

“We have equipment that are on batteries because they have not been used the batteries have run out” Dr. Gilbert Buckle continued the list of mishaps at Korle-Bu.

He said some of the consumables and equipment have gone past its warranty period but were still not used.

Dr. Gilbert Buckle who was not CEO at the time of the re-tooling said the hospital now has to find GHC₵700,000 to equip the hospital.

“It will have to be part of our own cost” he ruled out government support.

Although the hospital has issues to raise with its suppliers, the CEO says now is not the time.

But he vowed to hold negligent officials of the hospital accountable.

“Who signed it? Who was supposed to have followed up on it?…we are documenting all the challenges we have faced”

In the meantime, critically ill patients are being re-directed from the neurosurgical ward to the main surgical theatre for treatment. There are long queues and a pervasive feeling of uncertainty because patients do not know when they are expected to get treatment

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