Surgeons join junior doctors’ strike at Komfo Anokye Hospital

Surgeons at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) have joined the indefinite strike action local junior doctors to protest against the “poor state of affairs” at the facility.

Dr Emmanuel Appiah, Spokesperson for the Surgeons, said irregular power and water supply, lack of drugs, broken down equipment especially at the Accident and Emergency Centre and general congestion were making it difficult for them to operate effectively.

These are the very reasons for which their junior colleagues laid down their tools on Monday and vowed not to return until things improved.

The situation is putting health care delivery at the hospital in jeopardy and many fear this could have dire consequences on the health of the people in the northern sector of the country.

The Management has, however, given the assurance that everything would be done to bring the striking doctors back to work.

Professor Ohene Adjei, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), said they had already taken steps to address the concerns raised.

They had sunk four boreholes and installed storage tanks with the capacity to supply 52,000 gallons of water daily to each of the blocks. Two back-up generators had also been provided to deal with the problem of erratic electricity supply.

Additionally, the hospital has initiated moves to train its technicians on the repair of equipment. This would allow for prompt fixing of faulty machines and end the practice where those who did the installation of the equipment have to travel from Accra to do the repairs.

Prof Ohene Adjei said the management has also not relented in its efforts at getting the maternity block project started 37 years ago, completed, to help decongest the hospital.

Besides, the Health Ministry is assisting the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) to put up a teaching hospital to ease pressure on the facility.

Touching on the complaint about drugs shortage, the CEO mentioned the twin factors of irregular payment of the national health insurance claims and the 20 per cent increase in the tariff of drugs as the cause.

These were affecting its ability to purchase enough stock.

Dr Louis de-Bordes, the Board Chairman, appealed to the doctors to exercise restraint as they worked hard to make things better.

Source: GNA

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