The Upper West Regional Hospital needs major rehabilitation to function properly
The Upper West Regional Hospital which was constructed to serve as a centre for referral cases like every other Regional Hospital across the country, has become a "centre of mockery".
The facility though has received some level of upgrading in various units and departments, has not seen any major rehabilitation works for over 15 years.
Through the efforts of government under the leadership of former President John Dramani Mahama, a new Regional Hospital is currently under construction which according to constructors is near completion.
However, the current state of the old health facility which at the moment serves as a major referral centre for the upper West region is a cause for alarm.
Guardians are being forced to withdraw their sick relatives to other health centres such as the Nadowli and Jirapa District Hospitals for quality health care.
Most pregnant women in the region now prefer to have their deliveries at the Nadowli District Hospital instead of the Regional Hospital where according to them, is safer.
The hospital needs ambulances, doctors, medical consumables, upgraded maternity ward, among others to reduce the struggle patients go through in at the facility.
Some pregnant women have reportedly lost their lives as a result of lack of the aforementioned.
The X-ray department also needs rehabilitation as patients are compelled to use their Android phones to receive results of the x-ray machine which the department fails to printout for them after paying for the service.
The 2012 Parliamentary candidate for the Convention People's Party (CPP) Ishahaku Suleman who is popularly called Selega has had his share of the terrible experience at the Upper West Regional Regional Hospital.
Recounting his experience, he said, "I was there (Hospital) on Sunday on admission, took an x-ray on monday morning it has to be given via Bluetooth on Chairman Bahass's phone (CPP Upper West Regional Chairman)."
"Just today my wife had a motor accident and after haven't paid 70 cedis with receipt but we haven't had the printout," he added.
He narrated that his inquiry about the issue made the head of the x-ray department to rudely walk out on him which he later reported to the medical superintendent, Dr Barnabas Gandau.
"I complained to the medical superintendent Dr Gandau and he summoned him but he again misconducted himself and walked out. But he is all too soon forgotten when the hospital was without X-ray machine the role some of us played behind the scenes to get the issue resolved," he lamented.
Dr Barnabas Gandau the Hospital's medical superintendent was sworn into office on February 8, 2016 despite agitations by the staff over who they preferred to do the job for the Hospital.
He has since been the leader and has taken steps to change things including the physical outlook of the Hospital.
As part of preparations to move to the new site which has the face of a befitting Regional Hospital, Dr Gandau brought in close to 30 young doctors in about a year ago but the completion of the new facility is long overdue.
