Management of the Tamale Teaching Hospital has dismissed media reports suggesting that the use of expired anesthetic drugs and oxygen shortage, caused the death of three patients on admission.
The three unidentified persons as reported by an Accra based radio station, died because of oxygen shortage and surgeons’ refusal to administer expired anesthetic drugs on them.
[contextly_sidebar id=”TYnel2hmeO1pbxexXG2pBEk8Yk1wLId2″]Director of Pharmacy at the Tamale Teaching Hospital, Hamid Abdulai in a Citi News interview, dismissed the reportage.
He insisted that it was a fabrication, and urged the general public to treat it with the contempt that it deserves.
“There is no issue, statement or occurrence of loss of any lives due to the use of expired anesthesia medications. There has never been the occurrence of issuance of any expired product whatsoever to that unit and all other units involved. As far as we are concerned the story is completely false.”
According to him, the hospital had enough stock of anesthetic drugs and wondered why such untruth should be peddled in the media.
“The hospital secured anesthetic medication notably vecuronium on 28th February 2017, but the head of the anesthesia unit Mr. Mumuni stated that his people will not accept this particular brand called Nor-Q.”
“Upon our verification, this happens to be the only brand available in the country; but they insist that they will not be able to use it claiming that it is ineffective.”
“Verifying with other sister facilities including Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Cape Coast Teaching Hospital and Tamale West Hospital indicates that it is the same product that anesthetists across the country have been using for some time now without any problems,” Hamid Abdulai lamented.
Hamid Abdulai however admitted that, power struggle within the hospital management is the cause of the media rant.
“I do not know what claims our anesthetists are putting forward and what they are seeking to achieve as other anesthetists in the country have been using this product successfully.”
The Tamale Teaching Hospital has lately gained media prominence for negative reasons.
Apart from some pressure groups call for the Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Prosper Akambong’s removal from office, others are accusing management of embezzlement.
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By: Abdul Karim Naatogmah/citifmonline.com/Ghana