Danger looms at Korle-Bu as five decade old maternity block turns death trap

There is looming danger to pregnant and nursing mothers who frequently patronize Ghana’s premier Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital for healthcare.

The maternity block is now a death trap due to its dilapidated nature. Since its commission about five decades ago, the facility has not undergone any major renovation, and officials of the hospital remain grossly adamant and unconcern about the block which is near collapse posing danger to pregnant and nursing mothers who frequently patronise the facility.

Patrons’ especially pregnant and nursing mothers on several occasions have raised alarm over the fragility and cracks which have boldly been developed all over the building. The structural integrity is weak and not for use for any purpose.

According to the patrons, several concerns were raised to authorities of the hospital to take action but all fell on deaf ears where the magnitude of the cracks are such that, pregnant and nursing mothers have to say their last prayers whenever they visit the facility.

The building has reached a point where almost all the mosquito nets have been removed mostly pushing patrons to either bring in their mosquito nets to keep their babies safe from mosquitos and dangerous insects and reptiles that have comfortably found the maternity block as their everlasting abode.

The toilets are in a very disdainful and awful state that makes it uncomfortable for mothers to use whenever they visit the block as the toilet seats, plumbing and bathrooms are very horrible to witness. The tiles on most of the floors at the block have been in very bad condition for years without any attention given to the block.

A frustrated and livid staff who gave her name as Kwasimaa Amoah chided the Board and Management of the Kole Bu Teaching Hospital for their gross ineptitude that has led to the rapid deterioration of the building.

Madam Josephine Yeboah a sixty-two-year-old pensioner who visited a relative on admission at the block could not hide her displeasure. She said this was her third visit within ten years and its surprising the situation is the same.

She could not fathom why governments both past and present turn a blind eye to such an important facility which serves as a life-saving point for newborn babies and their mothers but rather spend on irrelevant projects.

Most patients who were on admission at the time of filing this report appealed to the government to as a matter of urgency attend to the maternity block by ensuring that the building is renovated to avert any disaster.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) attention was drawn to immediately call authorities of the Kole Bu Teaching Hospital to order and ensure something is urgently done to address the deplorable state of the building to help save innocent lives.

Efforts to reach out to authorities especially the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the hospital to comment on the the issues raised in this story prove futile with a flimsy excuse by a staff of the PR department that his boss has been engaged and would not be able to attend to reporters on this matter.

More to come soon...