Fire Destroys Korle-Bu Substation

The electricity sub-station serving the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital was last Friday destroyed in fire outbreak, which lasted an hour. The fire caused major damage to the main transformer resulting in power cuts at the Department of Child Health, Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Plastic Surgery.

The prompt intervention of the security officers on duty and personnel from the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), prevented the fire from escalating and causing more damage to life and property.

The hospital authorities are investigating the cause of the fire.

A security officer who narrated the story to Metro Mail said the incident happened at about 3am last Friday when most of the hospital staff were away. The officer who was on night duty at the time of the incident said there were three loud explosions at the sub-station followed by smoke and fire. He said an alarm was raised to keep people away from the area while efforts were made to contact the Fire Service.

The disruption in power supply to the Department of Child Health, Plastic Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynaecology is causing a lot of inconvenience to the staff and patients on admission. When Metro Mail visited the Child Health Department also known as the "Children's Block" last Saturday, conditions there were appalling. Parents said the major problem resulting from the power cut was that tests and other medical processes could not be conducted within the block resulting in delays in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. Some of children, obviously scared of the darkness, were making a lot of noise during the night and their screaming prevented other children in the wards from sleeping.

In the absence of alternative lighting devices such as rechargeable lamps and torchlights doctors and nurses on night duty could not attend to patients to administer medication or monitor their condition in the darkness.

An official of the hospital said although there are stand-by generators, the cables that supply power to the affected places were completely damaged by the fire. Consequently the change over could not be effected. In the interim, the official said obstetrics and gynaecological cases are being referred to the Ridge Hospital, La Polyclinic and Korle-Bu Polyclinic. A team of doctors and specialists have been dispatched to strengthen the medical teams in these designated hospitals to cater for all cases. An ambulance has also been stationed at the forecourt of the "Maternity Ward" to transport patients to the gynaecological theatre in case of emergency.

The hospital has meanwhile issued a notice advising patients seeking obstetrics and gynaecological attention to go to the designated hospitals while patients to the Child Health Department are advised to seek treatment at the Korle-Bu Polyclinic.

The hospital authorities said efforts are being made to restore power supply as early as possible.