Patients at the Upper East Regional Hospital in Bolgatanga, can now heave a sigh of a relief after a few days of water shortage at the hospital.
The hospital experienced a 4-day water shortage from 13th January to 16th of January 2017, leaving patients to their fate in search for water for health care delivery.
Speaking to Citi News, the Head of Administration of the hospital, Mr. Zakariah Yakubu, said the Hospital has taken measures to fix the problem.
“The water shortage situation was serious from last week Friday to Monday, when we had a challenge with the Ghana Water Company supplying the hospital with water due to a technical problem; but the main cause of the water shortage in the hospital emanates from community members trooping into the hospital’s water tanks especially in the night, to empty them hence causing the shortage. This is so because there are several unapproved routes into the hospital.”
Mr. Yakubu however stated that, even though Ghana Water Company Limited has restored water supply to the hospital, the facility has to also procure additional water from water suppliers to augment the situation.”
“The hospital buys about five trips of water every week for close to GHc 1,000.00. We have also dug a mechanized borehole to beef up water supply in the hospital, but the Ghana Water Company took a sample of the water for testing in November 2016, and is yet to furnish us with the results so that we can start using the borehole.”
Mr.Yakubu added that, the hospital has started erecting water tanks up to prevent community members from accessing the water for other purposes.
“As a temporary measure, we are locking up six pipes and leaving two of them for prudent water management in the hospital”
Mr. Yakubu admonished community members to refrain from abusing water meant for treatment of patients in the hospital, adding that, any community member caught abusing water from the hospital will face the full rigors of the law.
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By: Frederick Awuni/Citifmonline.com/Ghana