Patients abandon gov’t hospitals [Photos]

Some patients across the country are visiting private health facilities to seek healthcare following the strike by public sector medical doctors.

The doctors are currently on strike to demand conditions of service.

Meanwhile, the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) on Monday advised patients to visit private health facilities accredited by the authority to access healthcare.

Western Region

In the Western Region, Citi News‘ Obrempong Yaw Ampofo reported that some of the private hospitals are enjoying some level of patronage from the people in the area.

He added that the various government hospitals in the Region have been abandoned due to the ongoing strike by the doctors.

Obrempong observed that there were empty chairs at the Effia Nkwanta Regional hospital at Sekondi which on a normal day would have been flooded with patients.

“Some tables and chairs were overturned,” he added.

“The main pharmacy was also empty. Other special departments of the hospital were also closed,” said Obrempong adding that some nurses who spoke to him on condition of anonymity said “we have been here since morning, but there is no work for us. The doctors aren’t here so we assist them”.

“However, the situation was different at the SDA Health Centre in Takoradi, one of the only two facilities operated by the Christian Health Association of Ghana. Many patients, especially women and their babies have flooded the facility.”

The Medical Superintendent of the facility, Dr. Edward Donkor told Citi News that “we are working but we anticipate the situation to overtake us because of the numbers. Here in the metropolis we have a population of some 539,000 but there are only two Christian Health Facilities with limited human and material resources to deal with the numbers. We hope the government will put things in place to get the doctors back at work.”

In the Ashanti Region

The situation wasn’t different in the Ashanti Region.

Citi News‘ Lauretta Timah reported that “a visit to the Garden Hospital in the Ashanti Region, a private health centre saw a handful of people at the OPD awaiting treatment.”

She said the Administrator for the hospital, Emmanual Osei Adubofuor assured that “patients are being taken care of by doctors with the hope that the NHIA will pay off what is due them for caring for the patients.”

Central Region

Kwesi Koranteng also reported from the Central Region that NHIS card holders in the area are receiving medical care from private hospitals.

“As I visited some of the private hospitals in the region, I saw patients in a long queue being attended to at the Central Kasoa clinic. At Winneba Clemovige memorial hospital, the situation was not different. The Ahmadiyya health centre is also doing same,” he added.

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By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana

Follow @AlloteyGodwin