The Suntreso Government Hospital in the Ashanti region has received a big boost after it took delivery of some essential hospital equipment to aid quality healthcare.
According to the authorities at the facility, over the years, it has been facing various challenges and at times compelled to take serious risks due to the limited equipment.
The head of the New Born Unit Dr. Ashura Bakari in an interview with Citi News narrated that the situation has made taking care of new born babies for instance quite difficult over the years.
“We admit babies between zero and two months. We usually get babies with breathing problems and most of these problems need some machines to support the babies’ breathing. Apart from that, we also admit very small babies whereby you need some machines to monitor how much oxygen they get, and these things are very crucial. They are also very expensive. As we speak, for example, with the machine to give them infusion, we have only one,” Dr. Ashura Bakari lamented.
She says that as a result of the limited access to the hospital equipment, there were many instances where they had to use their discretion to check which baby needs particular equipment more and hope that nothing bad happens to the other one being denied the service.
“You will have more than one baby who needs that (equipment). You really have to look at who needs it the most. Sometimes, it can be very stressful because you know within you that two babies – both of them need it, but I have only one baby that I can give the machine to and the other one will not get it. So, you just manage by improvising. For example, there is a machine we call CPAP that helps babies to breathe well, especially preterm baby. Currently, we have two. If we have three babies who need the machine, some with one baby, we will have to improvise by using the water bottles to make it work the way the machine does. It doesn’t usually work well as the actual machine,” Dr. Ashura Bakari added.
A not-for-profit organization, Women’s Health to Wealth Foundation has come to the aid of the hospital by providing the facility with a wide range of hospital equipment to support the mother and baby unit.
Its executive director, Nana Abena Akuamoa-Boateng who played a crucial role in setting up the mother and baby unit at the hospital is well aware of the challenges confronting the facility and through her foundation, they have been soliciting for support for the hospital.
The items supplied to the facility include; 5 CPAP machines, 5 infusion pumps, 120 pieces of sensors, and 5 training dolls to aid newborns to breathe among many other items.
The executive director of Women’s Health to Wealth Foundation also assured of providing the Suntreso Government Hospital with other forms of support to address other challenges they are facing.
“With the items, we have delivered to this hospital, because of the lack of space here (Suntreso Government Hospital), we have given some of the 10 CPAP machines to HopeXchange Medical Center and Mampong Hospital’s mother and baby unit. Mankranso is also our focus district that we would be supporting them with such items. Aside from what you have received, some of the items you are yet to arrive in the country. So far, what we have spent is 1,605, 636.94 Ghana cedis. Out of this, almost 141,000 Ghana cedis are a result of import duties paid to the government of Ghana. Why should someone who is helping government by providing some needs be charged this amount? That is why I wanted the politicians here because taxes are even waived on people’s personal goods in some instances but if I tell you what we had to go through on this equipment, you will not believe it,” Nana Abena Akuamoa-Boateng stated.
Dr. Ashura Bakari thus called on other organizations to emulate the gesture by the Women’s Health to Wealth Foundation and support the facility and other health facilities in diverse ways.
She believes with more support from benevolent organizations, they will significantly reduce fatalities in relation to newborn babies.
