According to the Medical Superintendent at the polyclinic, Dr William Darko, expanding the existing structure of the clinic would go a long way to also also reduce the pressure on the Tema General Hospital which continued to serve as a major health referral centre for the Ashaiman municipality and the Tema metropolises.

 

Dr Darko made the appeal when the First Lady, Mrs Lordina Mahama, toured the facility to acquaint herself with operations at the polyclinic.

 

She was accompanied by the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Nii Laryea Afotey-Agbo, and the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Ashaiman, Mr Ibrahim Baidoo.

 

Retooling

 

Dr Darko said the facility was the only public health institution in the municipality serving a population of over 400,000 people. He added that at the moment, the clinic  was under enormous pressure due to inadequate space and logistics.

 

He pointed out that the facility had only 10 beds for patients on admission. Under those circumstances, he said, a number of cases which could otherwise be handled by staff of the polyclinic were referred to the Tema General Hospital which was already reeling under intense pressure.

 

“We have no wards for male, female, general and paediatrics,” Dr Darko said.

 

He said the Ashaiman Polyclinic needed an obstetric theatre, an anaesthetic machine, hysterectomy set, operating trays, sterilising drums, blood refrigerator, operating gowns, theatre to boots and suction machines if it was to function effectively. 

 

Erratic power supply

 

According to Dr Darko, the power rationing exercise currently being undertaken by the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) was adversely affecting operations at the polyclinic.

 

He indicated that even though the facility had a standby generator, because of its low capacity, it was unable to power the operating theatre and other major installations. Due to that, he said staff were unable to attend to deliveries at night.

 

Dr Darko, therefore, earnestly requested that a 20-kilovolt (KV) automatic generating set be mounted for the clinic in order to enable its operating theatre to function effectively.

 

First Lady

 

Mrs Mahama, through the Lordina Foundation, pledged to assist the polyclinic with a generating set. Not long ago, the foundation donated laboratory equipment to the same facility. 

 

She challenged businesses and churches operating in the Ashaiman Municipality to go to the aid of the polyclinic.

 

“Government alone cannot undertake  projects to develop the society. It takes the support of all citizens to make society better for us all,” she said .