MOH supports health facilities caring for gas explosion victims

The Ministry of Health (MOH)has presented a cheque of GHC200,000.00 to support four health institutions taking care of victims of the recent gas explosion at La in Accra.

The explosion occurred at the Louis Gas Station behind the International Trade Fair Centre.

The four health facilities taking care of the victims are the 37 Military Hospital which received GHC125,000.00; the La General Hospital which received GHC50,000.00 and the Korle-Bu Teaching and Police Hospitals receiving GHC15,000.00 and GHC10,000.00 respectively.

The fund was disbursed according to the numbers of injured victims on admission at each hospital as well as those victims who daily visit the hospitals for treatment as a result of the explosion.

Mr Alex Segbefia, the Minister of Health, who presented the cheques to the representatives of the various health institutions, said each facility would also receive a consignment of pharmaceutical products including antibiotics, infusions, face masks and disposable aprons.

He said the donation was in fulfillment of President John Dramani Mahama’s promise to support the various health institutions that were taking care of the victims of the gas explosion that occurred at a facility behind the Ghana Trade Fair Centre.

He said the Ministry would work at meeting any further needs of those institutions to ensure that the lives of the surviving victims were preserved.

Mr Segbefia said there were a number of casualties, adding that so far a total of nine fatalities had been recorded of which six were confirmed to have died instantly from the gas explosion and the other three passing on the next day at the hospital.

He said the various hospitals were currently treating victims with various degrees of injuries and burns, some of which were still serious, with one patient still at the Intensive Care Unit at the 37 Military Hospital.

He praised the Ghana National Fire Service, the Military and the media for their swift intervention and reportage of the incident and the various health institutions for the great care and support provided for the victims.

Mr Segbefia commended President Mahama and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, the President Elect, for their swift response and for visiting the victims of the disaster.

Lt. Col. Richard Atarah, the Officer In-Charge of Medical Stores and Equipment Depot at the37 Military Hospital, thanked the Government for its assistance which would go a long way to facilitate the work of the various hospitals and ensure quick results to their services.

He, however, appealed to civil society for more of such assistance to health institutions to serve as a backup stock, saying disasters are timeless and unpredictable, and the facilities needed to stand in readiness at all times for such unfortunate eventualities to be able to save lives.