Strike disrupt health care delivery

Sekondi, April 24, GNA - Nurses and paramedical personnel of Effia-Nkwanta Government hospital at Sekondi laid down their tools on Friday in support of striking colleagues at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital and other health facilities nation-wide.

This has disrupted health care delivery at the hospital, which is the only leading health facility in the Western Region.

Worried and helpless patients on admission and their relations, particularly those with serious ailments and injuries prayed that amicable solution would be found to the impasse for the nurses to resume work immediately.

At the men's surgical ward, during a visit by the GNA, on Monday, a doctor was seen attending to patients, he said "I have been working 24 hours a day since the strike action on Friday and it has been hectic," he told the GNA on anonymity.

He said he appealed to two student nurses who were assisting him. The doctor pointed out that the action of the nurses was seriously affecting health delivery at the only major hospital patronised by patients from all parts of the region and called for a speedy resolve of the impasse to enable them resume work.

Few student nurses at the Nurses Training Institute at Sekondi, were seen assisting doctors at the antenatal clinic, maternity, men and women medical wards while the outpatients department was empty. A senior official of the hospital told the GNA that the Regional Director of Health Services would meet leaders of the striking workers on Monday to persuade them to resume work.

The situation was not different at the Takoradi hospital when the patients have rushed to seek medical attention. The outpatients department of the hospital was congested and many people were seen standing on hours, as there were no vacant seats.