Expand and equip Hospital to cope with accidents

Authorities of the Winneba Government Hospital have appealed to the government, NGOs and philanthropists to help equip and expand some facilities at the hospital to enable it to cope with accident victims.

Anthony Obeng, the Administrator of the hospital, said the hospital located on the Mankessim/Accra road that is becoming accident-prone, treats scores of accident victims regularly.

He said the hospital needed to be sufficiently equipped and staffed to enable it to handle accident victims.

"The hospital has to stabilize patients before referring them to either the Regional Hospital in Cape Coast, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital or the 37 Military Hospital.

He said in the event of a fatal accident such as the one at Gomoa Okyereko last week in which 41 people died and several others injured and the Gomoa Assin one last year in which 18 people lost their lives, the little facilities and staff at the hospital were put under pressure.

Mr Obeng said the hospital has five doctors made up of four foreigners and a Ghanaian and that three of the foreigners would be leaving the country between June and July and replacements would be needed.

The casualty ward that has five beds needs expansion and equipment including suckers, oxygen cylinders, forceps, trolleys and blood pressure apparatus.

Mr. Obeng said the hospital has no orthopedic surgeon and that accident victims with fractures are referred to the nearest hospitals in Koforidua and Accra.

He said the mortuary needed to be expanded to enable it increase its present intake from 36 to about 72 corpses.

Mr Obeng commended the government for providing the hospital with an ambulance and other items to the hospital.

He denied that a victim of the Apam Junction accident died at the hospital as reported and said one Mr. Imoro Saaka, whose condition was very critical on arrival at the hospital and was referred to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.

Source: GNA