The Sandema Hospital, located in the Builsa North Municipality of the Upper East Region, has called on government to help replace the roofing of the facility due to severe leaks during rainfall.
With the exception of the Newborn Care Unit (NBCU), theater, and emergency ward, all other sections of the hospital, including the pharmacy unit, laboratory, dressing rooms, and the office of the Medical Superintendent, experience leaks.
The situation became particularly dire during a prolonged downpour on a recent Saturday night, lasting approximately nine hours.
The 21-bed maternity ward, already at full capacity with some patients even on the floor, suffered the most damage.
Quick-thinking midwives on duty had to employ buckets to continuously collect rainwater from the leaking roof to prevent the entire ward from flooding, which would have severely disrupted healthcare services.
Dr. Emmanuel Opoku, the Medical Superintendent of the Hospital, who had previously appealed for support through the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in the Municipality to renovate the facility, expressed frustration over the lack of assistance.
He emphasized the urgent need for re-roofing, acknowledging the financial challenge faced by the hospital in undertaking such a project.
The hospital’s children’s ward, male and female wards, pharmacy unit, dressing rooms, nurses’ station at the Out-Patient Department (OPD), and the laboratory all experienced leaks during the GNA’s visit.
Even the patient waiting area at the pharmacy unit was affected.
Staff members in the affected units were forced to move beds and equipment away from areas with water ingress to protect mattresses and medical equipment from damage. In addition to the leaks, the GNA observed broken louvre blades, faulty doors, exposed electrical cables, visible cracks in the walls, and damaged floor tiles throughout the facility.
A patient who had recently given birth in the maternity ward, requesting anonymity, expressed deep concern about the severe leakage issue, emphasizing the discomfort and safety concerns, especially for newborns.
She eagerly awaited her discharge, unable to tolerate the situation any longer.
Relatives of patients in the OPD and the female ward also voiced similar distress about the hospital’s deplorable condition, urging authorities to address the problem immediately.
Despite various appeals from stakeholders in the Municipality over the years for support to renovate the 93-year-old hospital, which serves as a referral center for the Municipality and beyond, there has been no response or action taken to address these critical issues.
