Save Agormanya hospital!

A healthy society helps to bring about increase in productivity which leads to improvement in the general well-being of people. It also means that the workforce of such a society will be physically and mentally conditioned to enable them give off their best.

NONETHELESS, in a country where many of its people are unhealthy, generally productivity will be low. This explains why in almost every country health personnel and centres are indispensible. The reason is that health workers ensure that unhealthy people in society are taken care of.

THEREFORE, the news that St Martin De Porres Hospital at Agormanya in the Eastern region is likely to fold up is very disturbing. What makes the situation even more serious is the fact that the hospital serves four districts in the Eastern and Greater Accra regions. Thus its collapse will not be good for inhabitants in these districts.

THE imminent collapse staring the face of St Martin De Porres hospital has been attributed to the fact that health insurance schemes in four districts as of the end of January this year were indebted to the hospital to the tune of GH¢401990.34. These four districts are Manya Krobo, Yilo Krobo and Asuogyaman in the Eastern region and Dangme West in the Greater Accra region.

THE huge debt has left the hospital cash-strapped making it practically difficult for the hospital authorities to purchase drugs such as emergency drugs, paracetamol and drugs which are to be given freely to pregnant women. Besides, workers at the hospital are having problems getting their salaries because internally generated funds are not enough to meet recurrent expenditures of the hospital.

IT is even sad that the hospital has to credit fuel before its ambulances and other vehicles can operate. This is indeed a serious situation which must immediately be addressed bearing in mind that a closure of the hospital will be catastrophic for human lives in the said districts, especially when they are taken ill.

IT is in this regard that we are calling on government to intervene to help save the hospital from collapse. We are also urging the districts which are indebted to the hospital to try and make substantial payments which will defray a large percentage of their debt. We must recognise that health is life, and hence all efforts must be made to save St Martin De Porres hospital.