Dr. Sebastian N. Sandaare, Medical Director in charge of the Nadowli District Hospital, says inadequate infrastructure, staffing challenges and equipment inadequacies are affecting the hospital's ability to expand and provide quality health care services to the people.
He said the hospital could only boast of a Maternity Ward, Children's Wards and the General Ward that is used to admit all cases including male and female medical and surgical cases.
Patients suffering from diarrhoeal and other infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and hepatitis "B" and "C" are also admitted at the same ward.
Dr. Sandaare told the GNA in an interview that the situation was creating congestion and putting the lives of the patients at risk.
He said the hospital lacked an administrative block and its offices had been located at the out-patient department and that was also affecting administrative work.
The x-ray department, laundry, kitchen and mortuary units are lacking in the hospital, making it difficult for the hospital management to provide a comprehensive package of services to patients, Dr. Sandaare said.
He said the absence of a kitchen to enable the hospital feed patients on admission as well as the non-existence of a laundry unit is serious concern to management and patients.
On human resource needs, Dr. Sandaare said the facility has only one Ghanaian doctor and appealed for an additional doctor, laboratory technologists, dispensing technicians and more midwives.
Dr. Sandaare said the hospital has two Cuban doctors who are general practitioners and suggested that a Cuban gynaecologist or surgeon be sent to the hospital in a subsequent posting.
The Nadowli District Hospital was designated a district hospital in 2001 without the necessary infrastructure, equipment and logistical upgrading.
With a bed capacity of 62 and staff strength of 56, the hospital services a population of 93,036 in the district.
It is also serving as a referral centre for 13 sub-districts and 12 Community-Based Health Planning and Service (CHPS) Compounds.