Lack of fuel in hospital ambulance results in 3 deaths at Obuasi

The unavailability of fuel in an ambulance at the Obuasi Government Hospital to respond to an emergency has resulted in the death of three patients who urgently needed medical attention at a referral hospital after they were involved in an accident last Sunday.

Frank Aboagye Danyansah, a former parliamentary candidate of the Progressive People’s Party (PP) in the Obuasi East Constituency who spoke to mynewsgh.com about the unfortunate incident, disclosed that the victims were involved in an accident between Adansi-Asokwa and Obuasi and were rushed to the facility for treatment.

In view of the critical nature of their conditions, they were immediately referred to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital but the Medical Director on duty at the facility told them the Ambulance stationed at the facility could not convey them because it had no fuel.

All pleas from relations of the accident victims to have him make alternative arrangements to have the ambulance fueled failed until a freelance Journalist, Isaac K Nomenyo arrived at the scene and offered to buy the fuel by which time an hour had elapsed.

He is reported to have handed over GH¢100 to the Medical Director who went to a Shell station outlet and purchased the fuel but on his return, another problem emerged because none of the night nurses on duty were unwilling to accompany the injured persons to Kumasi.

This resulted in a banter between the nurses and the Medical Director until after some time one of them voluntarily offered to go with the Ambulance which took another 3 hours to resolve.

By the time they arrived at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, all three including a pregnant woman were pronounced dead.

“A lot of time was wasted at the Obuasi government hospital just because the Medical Director on duty claimed it was late and he could not requisition for fuel at that time. The long argument between the nurses and doctor worsened the situation leading to the death of all three”, he alleged.

The bodies of all three have since been deposited at the Hospital morgue pending autopsy.

Hospital authorities have refused to speak on the matter when reached for their comments except to say, a meeting has been scheduled to discuss the matter.