Korle-Bu suspends admissions to Surgical Medical Emergency Unit

Accra, July 15, GNA - Authorities at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital on Tuesday announced that admission to the Surgical Medical Emergency (SME) Unit would be suspended from Wednesday until Friday July 18. A release signed in Accra by Mr. Mustapha Salifu, Public Relations Officer of the Hospital, said the suspension would effect from 0600 on Wednesday, July 16 to Thursday, 17 July, 2008.

"This measure has become necessary in order to allow the Unit to decongest," the statement explained, adding that the Unit which had bed occupancy of 36 now had more than 80 patients on admission. Patients who require emergency medical care have been advised to visit other health facilities in their communities. Meanwhile, the Hospital says its Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department has lately been inundated with patients following the implementation of the free delivery policy. Authorities say majority of cases were "cold cases" that should be seen and managed at the Polyclinics and other hospitals in the metropolis. It therefore advised patients who required obstetrics and gynaecology care to first be seen at other hospitals which would then refer them to Korle-Bu Hospital should they need specialist and tertiary care.

"The general public is therefore reminded that only emergencies and referred cases will be admitted to the maternity Block (O&G Department) for advanced management," the statement added. 15 July 08