Appiatse explosion victims are receiving free treatment, no charges — Health officials

Health officials in the Western Region have reacted to claims that they collected money from some of the victims of the Appiatse explosion when government had already released money for such services.

Addressing the press on Friday to respond to the allegations, the Western Regional Director of Health Services, Dr. Yaw Ofori Yeboah, explained that, out of the 348 victims that were being taken care of at various health facilities in the region; only two had their relatives procuring some essential items and medicine that were in short supply at some of the health centres.

He further said the Western Regional Health Service is committed to providing free healthcare to all the victims of the disaster.

“The Health Service facilities have so far attended to 348 victims and I can confirm that the victims are currently receiving free medical treatment. Unfortunately, we run out of some essential items, such as orthopaedic plates and some critical drugs. Relatives of two out of the 348 cases who have attended our facilities procured these items from private sources during the emergency.”

“The Regional Health Directorate under my leadership has already directed the facilities involved to refund the expenditure incurred to the families and rather include them in the bills being collated for reimbursement. I wish to reiterate the government's decision to offer free care to accident victims. All the Ghana Health Services facilities in the region will continue to offer free care to the accident victims in accordance with the declaration by the Vice President“, he said.

Flanked by the Deputy Western Regional Director of Health, Dr. Gifty Amugi and the Medical Director of Effia-Nkwanta Hospital, the Western Regional Director of Health Services did not deny or confirm if Effia-Nkwanta Hospital is one of the hospitals that made patients pay for logistics and medicine.

“All but two of the cases have either been discharged or stable in our hospitals. We however lost two of the victims, one at the Tarkwa Government hospital and the other at Wassa Akropong hospital. The victims in admission are currently receiving quality care in our facilities which includes three(3) at Effia-Nkwanta Hospital, some at Tarkwa Hospital Regional Hospital, some attending OPD at Bogoso Health centre and Wassa Akropong government hospital“, he added.

The Western Regional Director of Health also indicated that his outfit has established a health post at the internally displaced persons' site at Bogoso to provide essential primary care services to the people, while psycho-social support is also being arranged for survivors and their relatives with a team of E&T specialists also sent to conduct a hearing assessment as about 40 people have reported some hearing challenges.

At least 13 people were killed, and 179 others injured in the explosion, which occurred on Thursday, January 20, 2022.

The explosion is believed to have been caused by a collision between a vehicle transporting explosives to a mining site and a tricycle.

The truck that was involved in the explosion was heading to Chirano Gold Mines.

---citinewsroom