Asafo Hospital Appeals For Ambulance

THE Medical Director of the St John’s Hospital at Asafo, near Sefwi Wiawso, Dr Michael Salisu Adams, has appealed to the government to provide the hospital with an ambulance.

He said that the establishment of an efficient ambulance service will facilitate smooth and speedy emergency operation and also reduce fatalities in the area.

Dr Adams said this when he briefed the Vice President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, who visited the hospital on Monday to see patients who were involved in an accident whilst they were on their way from Eteso to celebrate the Golden Jubilee at Asempaneye, in the Juabeso district.

'If we had an effective ambulance system, less people would have died. We need emergency facilities to save lives,' Dr Adams said.

He told the Vice President that on March 6, 195 people, including 175 pupils travelling on the cargo truck were involved in the accident in which three died on the spot and one later in hospital.

Dr Adams said 30 of the victims were referred to the Okomfo Anokye Teaching Hospital and were doing well.

At the time of the visit, Dr Adams said that four of them were still on admission.

'If they are well we will discharge them,' he added.

He said the patients were treated without any payment and appealed to the government to absorb the cost.

Dr Adams said that the hospital also needs a new theatre and a vehicle for outreach programmes.

Incidentally, when the entourage was about to leave St. John’s Hospital, a woman in labour was rushed there in an old taxi cab.

The Assistant Superior of the hospital, Rev George Combey told the Times, 'This has reinforced our concern. We need the ambulance urgently.'

He said the old ambulance has broken down and is at the workshop. 'We want to put it back on the road but we don’t think it can last long,' he said.

The Superior of the hospital, Rev Johannes Towoe, told Alhaji Mahama that the hospital began operating in the colonial days and had saved many lives and added, 'We need your support.'

Alhaji Mahama donated relief items, including 200 bags of rice, 20 cartons of oil, 100 mats valued at about ¢200 million to the accident victims.