Correspondence from Bono East Region

Authorities at the Mathias Catholic Hospital in Yeji in the Pru East District of the Bono East Region have been forced to convert the corridors of the maternity block into a ward.

The conversion of the corridors into a ward is due to limited space, and overcrowding within the hospital's maternity ward to admit pregnant women and neonates.

The situation has become dire because the 40-bed maternity ward is always overstretched and has to admit 100 patients way beyond its capacity compelling many of them to sleep on the floor.

Confirming the situation to GhanaWeb, the Public Relations Officer for the hospital, Reverend Fr. Isaac Adjei Boadu, disclosed that the hospital which serves as a major referral point for about 10 public and private health institutions struggles to meet the healthcare needs of expectant mothers, leading to compromised prenatal and postnatal care.

“We have been compelled to convert the corridors of the maternity into ward because of the infrastructural deficit we are facing. It is not good for health delivery but that is the situation we find ourselves as a hospital due to the pressure on the facility.”

He blamed the situation on a stalled self-financing maternity ward project which was started by the hospital in 2017 but has to be abandoned at the foundation level due to financial constraints.

“There was a plan to build a bigger maternity ward with ancillaries in 2017 through our IGF but the project has to be abandoned at the foundation level because of lack of funds.”

Appeal for support

He appealed to corporate Ghana, the assembly, Member Parliament as well as all well-meaning individuals to come to their aid to complete the project to enable healthcare professionals to perform valuable services to the community.

“As a hospital, we are committed to making a difference in the quality of life of those we serve but it becomes difficult under such conditions so we are appealing to philanthropists, benevolent organisations, and all well-meaning individuals to come to our aid to complete the project”.