A relief for patients scheduled for elective surgeries at the surgical unit of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital as the hospital announces commencement of the suspended surgeries from Tuesday September 3 following the completion of work on one of the faulty lifts at the unit.
Management of the hospital in an interview with 3news reiterated plans for a comprehensive lift replacement with new ones at the hospital following the faulty nature of most lifts at the hospital.
The hospital had suspended elective surgeries at the Surgical Department of the hospital, focusing on emergency cases only following a breakdown of the elevator at the unit.
On average, the hospital performs close to 10 elective surgeries in a day, and so the suspension meant there are close to 100 patients awaiting recall for their scheduled surgeries at the hospital.
The development sparked a reaction from the general public considering the fact that the issues with faulty elevators at the hospital remain persistent.
PRO of the hospital, Mustapha Salifu said that by the first quarter of next year, all outdated lifts at the hospital will be replaced acknowledging the impact on Surgical Services and Emergency Care.
” Already we have informed all the specialists that the lift is fixed. We will call the patients scheduled as well, so hopefully, tomorrow we should commence the elective surgeries here at the unit. The lifts are now functional, and we want to thank the patients for their patience and understanding. We are committed to providing the public with the maximum healthcare services.”
On the replacement of all faulty lifts at the hospital, he said, ” The procurement is already done, and the new lifts should be in in 6 months’ time, so by the first quarter of next year, we should be changing most of them. We know the impact it has on surgical services and emergencies.”
Earlier, the ranking member on the Health Committee of Parliament, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh was at the unit unannounced to inspect the elevator but was denied access by some staff questioning his identity.
But reacting to the incident, the hospital authorities emphasized the importance of proper notification from high-profile visitors to maintain protocol and ensure smooth operations.
Meanwhile, our checks at the department confirmed that the elevator is working currently.
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By Sarah Apenkroh
