Currently operating without a theatre, the facility is unable to carry out critical surgical procedures such as cesarean sections, emergency operations, and other essential interventions.
As a result, patients, particularly expectant mothers, accident victims, and other patients in critical condition are often referred to distant facilities, particularly the Upper East Regional Hospital in Bolgatanga, leading to delays that sometimes prove fatal.
According to Mrs Harriette Yeribu, the Bolgatanga East District Director of the Ghana Health Service, the lack of a theatre had become a major bottleneck in efforts to provide timely and comprehensive care.
The District Health Director made this disclosure in an interview with the Ghana News Agency at Zuarungu on the sidelines of a forum on citizen-driven health sector policy, convened to harness community structures for inclusive and quality education and health.
The forum was organised by the Rural Initiatives for Self-Empowerment Ghana (RISE-Ghana), a Non-Governmental Organisation in partnership with the Bolgatanga East Evidence for Development Community of Practice (E4D-CoP).
The forum was part of the Bolgatanga East Evidence for Development (E4D) project, with funding support from the Centre for Democratic Development Ghana (CDD-Ghana), aimed to solicit citizens’ inputs to inform the District Medium Term Development Plans in the health sector.
Mrs Yeribu, said the lack of a theatre had placed immense pressure on the facility, which was already grappling with limited resources and understaffing.
“This health centre is the referral facility for all the CHPS compounds in the district, and we have the personnel including a medical doctor, but we do not have a theatre and laboratory”, she lamented.
The District Director indicated that indicated that most of the health facilities did not also have sustainable water and sanitation facilities and added that the situation limited efforts of health workers to deliver quality care.
“We need infrastructure expansion for the Zuarungu and Gambibgo health centres, accommodation for staff and we need assistance to be able to deliver quality care”, she said.
Mrs Yeribu therefore appealed to government, NGOs, and well-meaning individuals to support the construction of a fully equipped theatre and other infrastructure facilities, believing that such an investment will not only save lives but also enhance the overall quality of healthcare delivery in the area.
Mr Shadrack A-obiliya, Project Officer, RISE-Ghana, noted that the project was aimed at involving community members in healthcare delivery to ensure sustainability and inclusiveness.
GNA
