The situation is likely to undermine healthcare delivery at the hospital�the looming financial crisis if not resolved immediately, will even make it difficult for the hospital to pay salaries, replace its worn out equipment, as well as pay its contractors and suppliers, according to Charles Ofei-Palm, President of Korle Bu Senior Staff Association (KOSSA).
KOSSA had earlier warned of a financial meltdown of the hospital in three months if government and the Ministry of Health did not take steps to solve the issue.
According to the group, Korle Bu is bleeding financially through mismanagement and if nothing is done about it, it will go bankrupt �and the people who will be affected are the patients and so government and the sector Minister must take immediate steps�.
Speaking in an interview on �Kokrokoo�, Mr Ofei-Palm said had government listened to their warning, Korle Bu will not be in this current predicament.
One of the causes of the financial meltdown, according to him, is the non-payment of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA).
He said the NHIA owes about GHC6.5 million, and that there is the need for immediate reimbursement otherwise, clinical activities will grind to a halt.
Apart from that, the contractors and suppliers of all radiographical machines should be authorized to immediately repair the new MRI and CT Scan to reduce the needless suffering our patients go through.
Mr Ofei-Palm also blamed the current situation at Korle Bu on the misappropriation of funds by the then Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Korle Bu, Rev. Albert Okpoti-Botchway.
Rev Okpoti, it will be recalled, was accused by the members of the Korle-Bu staff Association of mismanaging the hospital's resources and also misappropriating the hospital's internally generated funds to buy plush vehicles for management members.
Mr Ofei Palm stated that �when Rev Okpoti became the CEO, Korle Bu had in its coffers about GHC600M surplus. However when he left, we had a deficit of GHC200M. Korle Bu used to have a lot of money but where did it go? We did not tighten the procedures or laws that had to be followed and that also led to this situation�.
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