Babies dying as Wenchi Hospital operates with one incubator

The Neo-natal Unit of the Wenchi Methodist Hospital in the Brong Ahafo region is under stress as it operates with only one incubator to cater for the increasing number of pre-term babies.

The Wenchi Methodist Hospital is a major referral Hospital in the Brong Ahafo Region attending to even patients from the Northern region.

Just like other facilities across the country the facility is in dire need and needs urgent support.

In 2015, the facility received 34 pre-term babies out of which 29 died.

Also in 2016, 103 pre-term cases were sent to the facility 15 of the babies died. In 2017 the unit attended to 85 cases out of which 5 died.

In the first quarter of 2018, 17 cases have been recorded with 2 deaths.

Dr. Solomon Chemogo the Head at the Neonatal Unit of the Wenchi Methodist Hospital in an interview said they were operating with only one baby incubator which he says is putting pressure on their work.

Dr. Chemogo revealed that his outfit also attends to preterm babies from the Northern region as well.

He disclosed that the Neo-natal Unit is making good use of the little equipment they have but it is not the best.

“We do a shift system to save some of these babies. When a baby is a little stable we bring the baby out and put another one in, which should not be the case but the incubator is only one.

“At times we refer the cases to other facilities but some mothers refuse to go and at the end of the day they lose their babies,” Dr. Chemogo revealed.

The Neo-natal Unit has to improvise the radiant warmer to keep the babies always.

Dr. Chemogo also appealed for support to improve upon the facilities at the unit.

“We need between 5 to 10 incubators, 3 radiant warmers, Oxgen concentrators 3, Perfusers 3, Neonatal Cardiopulmonary monitor 3, intraosseous needles 50, Bedside billimeter 2 and Fire Fly Phototherapy apparatus,” Dr. Chemogo said.

Mr. Bernard Clement Kwasi Botwe, the Chief Executive Officer of the Wenchi Methodist Hospital also revealed that finance and equipment has been the major headache for the facility and therefore added his voice and called on well-meaning Ghanaians and NGO’s to come and support the facility.

Mr. Botwe noted that space is also a major challenge facing the facility with the increasing attendance of patients and also the facility being a major referral hospital.

He disclosed that his outfit has plans to expand the facilities from their internally generated funds.