Celebrities, musicians with TB ‘buying’ beds at Korle Bu Cardio centre – Nurse reveals

The Korle-Bu Cadiothoracic Centre is risking taking admissions of some Tuberculosis (TB) patients with no heart conditions, a Nurse at the premier healthcare facility has told Kasapa 102.5 Fm.

According to the concerned nurse, Abena, most celebrities, musicians and high profile personalities diagnosed with TB opt to pay huge sums to be admitted at the fully air-conditioned Cardiothoracic centre due to the poor condition at the TB centre.

“The place is in poor shape and we’re risking our lives working under bad conditions. It’s an infectious disease centre, and there are no adequate Protective Equipment for us. We have complained about this for so long and we are still enduring working under a very shambolic state. Anytime we complain, our bosses will be asking ‘what breed of nurses are we?’ Because of the existing conditions, celebrities, musicians and politicians who contract TB prefer to be on admission at the Cardiothoracic centre, where they have comfortable wards and will sleep in air-conditions. But the fact is you’re exposing the patients at the Cardio and the possibility of them being infected with TB is very high,” Abena recounted in an interview with host Bonohene Baffuor Awuah on Anopa Kasapa on Kasapa 102.5 Fm.

Boarding trotro with Covid-19

Abena is a COVID-19 patient who contracted the disease in the line of duty at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital and revealed she has been abandoned to fend for herself and her family.

According to Abena, her husband, mother and nine-month-old baby have not been tested since she tested positive for the disease two weeks ago.

Abena revealed on the Morning Starr that due to her financial difficulties and the failure of the COVID-19 team to transport her to the hospital for treatment, her only choice is to join the public transport from Potsin in the Central region to Korle Bu hospital for treatment.

“We were given options of being admitted to the hospitals or isolating at home. I chose to self-isolate at home because I was scared of being charged when admitted. With where I stay at Potin, I can’t afford a taxi or Uber to Korle-Bu. I am COVID-19 positive and I have been told to come for checkup on my own. I board public transport when going.”

“I have been home for two weeks now and I feel very bad. I am asymptomatic but the fact that you’ve been told you have COVID19 is sad. I live with my husband and a 9-month-old baby. Because of Covid19, I’ve had to send my baby to my mother. My husband stays in one room whiles I stay in one. There’s been no contact tracing and testing. They asked me to take same medication with people I live with because they assume that once I have maybe they also have it.”