Mampong, March 27, GNA - Mr Kwadwo Affram-Asiedu, the Eastern Regional Minster on Wednesday paid a visit to the victims of the last Tuesday's fatal accident on the Mamfe road killing at least 14 people. The Minister visited them at Koforidua Regional Hospital, the St Joseph Catholic Hospital and the Tetteh Quarshie Memorial Hospital, all in the region to sympathise with them.

The accident occurred when a 33-Seater Benz-bus full of passengers returning from Kordiabe after performing Dipo rites to Suhum, had a brake failure and plunged into the Mamfe valley.

The Medical Director of the Regional Hospital, Dr Obeng Apori who took the Regional Minister round the wards, briefed him on the efforts of the public in the rescue of the victims and the professional manner in which the Mampong Hospital in particular, handled the incident. He said ambulances were dispatched from five districts in the region to help in transporting the victims of the accident to the various hospitals.

Dr Ampori called for the establishment of emergency centres in all the regional and district hospitals to enable effectively and promptly handle accident cases without referral to other hospitals. At the Tetteh Quarshie Memorial Hospital, Mrs Divine Nartey, the administrator of the hospital, who briefed the minister said, 27 victims were brought to there alive, out of which 12 were referred to other hospitals including Korle-Bu and 37 Military Hospitals in Accra. She said so far, 15 deaths had been recorded including a 10 months old baby girl, whilst all the others were responding to treatment. The Regional Minster commended the public and the health professionals for the concern shown towards the victims and most especially, the swift response to the accident.

Mr Affram-Aseidu said the event brought to the fore, the wisdom in the institution of the national ambulance service and appealed to road users to adhere to the road signs for safety.

When the Regional Minister and his entourage were returning from the Tetteh Quarshie Memorial Hospital to Koforidua, the team met a burning Opel saloon car with registration number GT 1111 F. The Regional Minister and his entourage stopped and mobilize the fire extinguishers in their vehicles to help put off the fire.