Health authorities at the Essienkyem CHIPS Compound in the Amansie Central district of the Ashanti region are rendering service to the public in a hard way. The Staff use flash lights in the night to supervise the delivery of babies at the facility.
Though the facility has solar energy, staff say the charging system is weak and that they cannot use it at night.
Apart from electricity challenge, the health facility lacks adequate beds, with the some of the nurses alleging that that they are using tattered mattresses and dilapidated beds.
Also, due to inadequate chairs, some of the patients who visit the facility have to stand for a long hours.
Speaking to the media at the CHIPS Compound, the Midwife in-charge of the facility, Madam Mary Agyambore, lamented that lives of the workers are in critical danger, as reptiles sneak into the maternity wards and their offices.
He added that the solar power is not in good condition and that it can neither shine well during the night nor stay on for long hours.
Apart from the reptiles invading the facility, Madam Agyambore told the media that sometimes they have no option than to resort to torch lights to deliver pregnant woman.
“We use torch lights to assist in delivery whenever pregnant women come to us and the most worrying part of this is that, sometimes I have to hold the torchlight under my chin before assisting labouring women. This is so worrying and pathetic,” she said.
Mad. Agyambore again expressed worries over the poor road network in the area, which is making it very difficult to refer cases beyond their control to nearby health facilities.
“We have to hire motor bikes to transport those women to the referral centers. This is very uncomfortable for the women.”
She said because of these existing challenges, workers fail to stay in the town but always fight for transfers to other parts of the country.
She has subsequently sent SOS message to the government to swiftly come to their aid and provide them with electricity, hospital beds, mattresses, chairs and other hospital equipment.
