Power cut at Korle-Bu Maternity affect work

Incubators for premature babies delivered at the Maternity Ward of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital have not been functioning since electricity supply to the ward was disrupted two weeks ago.

The situation has led to congestion. Revenue collection data records have also been affected.

Mr Kombian Kambarin, Acting Public Relations Officer of the Hospital, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Accra on Monday, said power disruption to about 30 per cent of the ward had rendered the labour theatre virtually non-functioning.

He said normal labour cases were referred to the nearest polyclinic or midwifery accompanied by a medical staff. Serious cases that need caesarean section are referred to the Gynaecology Department within the Hospital.

Mr Kambarin refuted a story that nurses were using lanterns in delivering babies at the ward.

He said the nurses used re-chargeable lamps whilst the lanterns are placed at the extreme ends of the wards.

Mrs Hectorina Yebuah, Acting Deputy Director of Nursing Services (DDNS) at the Hospital, confirmed to the GNA that the labour theatre at the Maternity Ward had not been in use since the power disruption and they were using the Gynaecology Department for operations.

She said the standby generator could not be used because it used the same under ground cable, which was damaged when the transformer that serves the ward was burnt.

A visit to the wards by the GNA saw nurses idling.

"It is delivering of babies that keep us busy and we enjoy doing our work," the Acting DDNS explained. "Though we do not like the situation at the moment there is nothing we can do."

At the time the GNA visited the hospital, the Chief Executive, Professor Kwabena Frimpong Boateng was meeting with the Executives and Board Chairman of the Electricity Company of Ghana to restore power to the ward.

The Maternity's Ward, Children's Ward and Reconstructive Burns and Plastic Surgery Unit were affected when a transformer got burnt two weeks ago.

The ECG restored power to the affected parts except the labour theatre and the second and sixth floors of the Maternity Ward.