COVID-19 has awakened many health institutions across the globe especially within Africa.The government of Ghana commitment to creating more facilities to take care of COVID-19 patience which saw the commencement of a new 44-bed capacity treatment center at korle-Bu.
Construction of a 44-bed Covid-19 treatment facility at Ghana’s biggest health facility, the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital has come to standstill. According to sources, the contractors have run out of funds and have been waiting for funds in order to return to the site.
The situation has left the hospital with no option but to operate at a makeshift facility located at its Fevers Unit which can only accommodate eight patients. With the seeming rise in symptomatic cases and dwindling spaces in other facilities in the capital, that unit has also come under pressure with all the unit’s available beds currently taken up.
Officials will now have to make a difficult decision to convert wards meant for the treatment of other ailments into Covid-19 treatment wards.
Deputy Health Minister Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye on June 17, hinted of government’s plan to increase the capacity of the country’s treatment facilities.
“By the nature of the disease itself, few cases take more space. And it’s also accounting for the reason why people are asking for more space to take care of them. We are trying to make sure that there are more of such beds,” he said.
He further stated that “the Ministry [of Health] is working with the Ministry of Finance to make sure that we get the resources to make the facilities that will be available for Covid.”
It is unclear when the country’s biggest health facility will take delivery of this its share of this intervention.
Boasting of some of the best medical staff, specialised and sophisticated units making the timely arrival of theses needed logistics crucial to its ability to fight against the novel coronavirus pandemic.
The hospital is not the only facility calling for more to be done as the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, led by Medical Director Dr Emmanuel Srophenyo is already upgrading its Covid capacity and says it has already approached government for support.
“We need monitors, beds and additional logistics to be able to set up this place. We have received assurance. Right from here we will put our budget but approach the ministry and we believe we will get the necessary support. We are hoping that as early as next week, this additional facility will kick in,” he said.
But, just like the Greater Accra Regional hospital, the government may have to turn its attention to Korle Bu to enable it to handle some of the growing numbers of Covid-19 cases.
