Three units at the Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital in the Western region have been shut down after a record staff at the facility tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
The units including the Antenatal Care Unit, Child Welfare Clinic, and the Ear Nose and Throat Unit were closed down to allow for disinfection among other measures to curb the spread of the disease.
According to the Medical Director of the hospital, Dr. Joseph Tambil the infected staff has been isolated and all other contacts and staff at the above units in the hospital asked to self-quarantine.
“One of our staff who had mild symptoms got tested and her results came out positive. So we quickly started taking samples of people that she works with and since she was working at the Antenatal Clinic, we had to take samples of all the staff. She also spent some time at the ENT Department so we also closed down that department and took samples of the staff.”
Asked when these units will be reopened for use, Dr. Tambil prayed they get things done within a week, and then assess the impact to determine the appropriateness with the reopening of these units.
“Hopefully we would get the results later today and we would determine the way forward. Currently, we are disinfecting those two units and every surface, floor, ceiling to make sure that we minimise the risk of anybody coming into contact with any droplets. Once we get the results then we can determine which staff can work and who cannot.”
Meanwhile, the Industrial Relations Officer for the Western Regional Health Services Workers Union, Jerry Mensah Detse, has blamed the increasing infections among health personnel in the region on inadequate PPE for staff.
“As I speak to you, three of our members in the region have tested positive for the COVID-19. Two in Effia-Nkwanta and the Takoradi hospital and it is quite scary in the sense that most of our members do not have PPEs to work with.”
“The dangerous part of it is that people from the house can contract the virus from the hospital just like the staff. So we are asking the government to try to prioritize the supply of the PPEs. We appreciate that some have been given but they are not adequate for our members. When you go to Apinto Hospital in Tarkwa, Effia-Nkwanta, and Kwesimintim Hospitals, we have written several letters for support and so we are appealing to both government and the public to come to our aid.”
Source: abcnewsgh
