New Emergency Centre Opens At KBTH

The bane of “No Beds” that hit the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH), will soon become a thing of the past as the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo hands out 200 beds to the hospital.

Making the donation on the president’s behalf, at the official opening of the new Accident and Emergency Centre at KBTH on Friday, the Minister of Health, Mr. Kwaku Agyeman-Manu said the move was to help alleviate the problem of ‘No Bed’ as the hospital moves into its new expanded and well-equipped emergency unit.

For Ghana’s premier healthcare facility—KBTH, the experiences in the past week have been gut-wrenching and intimidatingly worrying—the shortage of beds had even compelled patients to receive treatment in plastic chairs, on stools, staircases and on the bare floor.

But the minister says government will continue to invest in KBTH to ensure the sore event does not happen again.

Mr. Agyeman-Manu was however quick to add that there was still a possibility of overcrowding at the new emergency centre thus, government’s bid to find a lasting solution.

“The ministry of Health (MoH) has started work to source funding for a Trauma and Acute Pain Centre (TapC) to be constructed on a 12-acre land in this hospital,” Mr. Agyeman-Manu revealed.

The TapC, upon completion is expected to serve the southern sector of the country while the Accident and Emergency Centre of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital attends to the Northern sector.

Still reiterating government’s plan to mitigate the challenges facing the health sector, the Health Minister said, government has begun the retooling of the National Ambulance Service.

He said, “Some ambulances would be delivered into the country by close of the year and a very large number in the course of next year.”

Other mitigating plans by government is also to offer free training for specialists to manage emergencies, set up efficient emergency call centres and to build the capacity of peripheral hospitals in order to mop up excess emergencies that are brought to KBTH.

Aside the 200 beds given to KBTH, the president had also donated 10 trolleys and 10 wheelchairs.

“This is coming from the president’s own pocket not from the coffers of the ministry,” the health minister stressed.

Other well-meaning citizens have also donated beds to KBTH’s emergency unit.

The First is Mr. Komla Dodzi, a taxi driver, Mr. Jeffery Aboagye and a third person who gave to help address the problem.

New Emergency Centre

With a bed capacity of 65 and 30 trolleys the new centre has being designed to include all adult emergencies—Surgical, Medical and Gynae emergencies.

It also has a temporary Intensive Care Unit (ICU), High Dependency Unit (HDU) and a theater for minor surgeries.

The opening also witnessed the launch of an ICU Protocol and Protocol for Nursing and Midwifery Service Delivery.

By: Grace Ablewor Sogbey/ [email protected]