Sekondi, May 8, GNA - Over 50 pregnant women attending antenatal clinic at the Effia Nkwanta Hospital at Sekondi have become stranded at the hospital due to the ongoing strike by the Health Workers Group. The women, who sat dejectedly and sweating at the antenatal unit of the hospital, spent between three and fours hours without anyone attending to them.

The GNA found the hospital virtually at a standstill, abandoned and extremely quiet and movement of patients from one unit to the other is absent.

Miss Gladys Oboye, one of the pregnant women, told the GNA in an interview that they waited for about four hours to be attended to. She said their condition needed specialist advice and it would be suicidal for them and the unborn baby to take any medication without the approval of a nurse or a doctor.

A few nurses who are at post were not in their uniforms and sat idly and some second and third year students of the Sekondi Nursing and Midwifery Training School were seen attending to some of the women. Mr. Micah Asare Bediako, Head of Administration of the Effia Nkwanta Hospital, said "total strike itself is bad, since the sick always need some assurances when they visit the hospital". He said though the staff are on strike, the hospital management had put in place measures to ensure that the sick who are on admission receive attention.

Additionally, the blood bank, kitchen, ambulance, security, drivers, laboratory, mortuary, X-ray and casualty departments are operating.

He said nurse managers who are in charge of the various wards and theatres are all at post.

Mr. Bediako said these sectors are emergency to every hospital and personnel in such units cannot join the strike. He said 50 health aid interns and from Accra and some others from the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) are managing affairs at the Out Patients Department (OPD) and others units. Mr. Bediako said there would be no new admissions until the strike was over.

At the Takoradi Hospital Mr. Michael Danso, the administrator, said the strike action was impacting negatively on the hospital. He said emergency services were being provided but new cases would not be admitted. 08 May 07