Western Region Director of the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Yaw Ofori Yeboah has pleaded with the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to hold on with their decision to disconnect government hospitals with outstanding bills.
The Electricity Company of Ghana has served notice that it would disconnect a total of ninety-one (91) health facilities across the country from the national grid if they fail to settle their combined outstanding debt of GHC261 million.
In the Western Region, eleven (11) hospitals are among the listed facilities by the Electricity Company of Ghana.
These hospitals include Bogoso Hospital (Two meters) GHc497,828, Takoradi Hspt (Two meters) GHc3,509,295, Tarkwa Govt Hspt (Three meters) GHc9,499,254, Tarkwa Hspt Apinto GHc2, 391,983, Wassa Dunkwa Hspt (Two meters) GHc294,996 Government Hspt (Two meters) GHc1,708,108, Nsuaem Hospital GHc169, 220 Kwasimintim Hospital GHc1, 547,022, Essikado Govt Hspt GHc780,780, Elubo Hspt (Two meters) GHc271,993, and Akwantombra Hspt GHc184, 219.
Speaking in an interview with Nhyiraba Paa Kwesi Simpson, the host of Connect FM’s Omanbapa Morning Show, on March 13, Dr. Yaw Ofori Yeboah indicated that several lives will be lost if ECG should go ahead to carry out the threat, making reference to number of babies currently in incubators at the various government health facilities across the region.
According to Dr Yeboah, it would be difficult for the hospitals to settle the outstanding debts at a go. He said the repayment can be done in instalments.
“If ECG decides to go ahead with the threat and wants all the listed hospitals to pay these outstanding debts in full, we may not have anything left in our coffers to take care of sick people. We are pleading with ECG to understand our situation and allow the hospitals to settle the debts in installments,” he indicated.
According to him, every gadget used in the hospitals relies on electricity to operate and if they are disconnected from the national grid, the result would be disastrous.
“We serve all manner of people, and we don’t make profits in these hospitals. The bills we pay monthly are huge since almost every gadget we use relies on electricity. If ECG should go ahead to carry out the threat, we may lose a lot of lives at these hospitals and if that happens, we cannot promise to bring back those lives, it will be disastrous for the entire country”, he indicated.
Story: Eric Nana Gyetuah/ Connect FM
