37 Military Hospital overloaded with cases?

Accra, 12 Dec 1998 The work load at the 37 Military Hospital has increased considerably as patients in critical conditions are referred from the Korle-Bu Teaching hospital as the strike action by junior doctors demanding better working conditions of service entered its second day today.

As at 1200 hours today when GRi visited the emergency department of the 37 Military Hospital, officials were busily attending to several patients including accident victims.

However, GRi could not get access to official information as the junior staff declined to answer questions.

Our reporter wanted to know how many people have been referred from the Korle Bu Teaching hospital as at 12 noon. A woman at the Emergency ward shouted, ''Lady, I told you, we cannot talk to you until we get clearance.''

Unofficial sources at the hospital confirmed that the workload at the hospital had increased since yesterday.

At the Korle-Bu hospital, most of the wards including the Children's block, posted a quiet atmosphere. Sisters in charge reluctantly said doctors were attending to patients already on admission.

Out patients reporting to the accident center were also treated by the nurses while those in critical conditions were referred to either the 37 or the Police hospitals.

A medical assistant at the Ridge Hospital refused to talk saying, ''I do not want to comment on this issue''.

The Sister in charge of the Out Patients' Department who refused to give her name said: ''we have so far detained only one patient. We are treating the others but if we should get a patient in critical condition, we will definitely refer him to another hospital''.