Effiduase, Aug. 19, GNA-The Management of the St Joseph's Orthopedic Hospital at Effiduase, near Koforidua, has denied allegations that it was refusing to allow traders to sell on the hospital premises. Speaking at a press briefing at Effiduase on Wednesday, the Director o= f the Hospital, Reverend Brother Stephen Obku, said based on a research conducted by the hospital, management stopped providing food to in-patients= .. According to him, the research indicated that patients recovered faste= r when allowed to eat food prepared by their relatives. He explained that the hospital therefore constructed a kitchen for the caretakers of in-patients and in addition provided canteen services to people who wanted to buy food. Rev Brother Obku said within a short while, about 40 traders selling all sorts of food items including fish, beef and vegetables, second hand clothing, two chop bars and hair dressers had invaded the kitchen and were struggling for space with those cooking for patients.

Apart from the nuisance created at the kitchen, the congestion also created an opportunity for thieves to steal materials belonging to the hospital, he said.

He said management therefore decided to decongest the place to ensure that the place was used for the purpose for which it was constructed. On allegations that the hospital was charging exorbitant rates for accommodation that it provided for patients, Rev Brother Obku said, the hospital charges only two Ghana Cedis per night for the use of the hostel facilities.

He pleaded with members of the public who have any information on the collection of illegal rent from patients before allocation of bed to assist management to identify the culprits for appropriate sanctions to be taken against them.

The Hospital administrator, Mr Rock Kumah, said the hospital had formally written to the New Juaben Municipal Assembly to allocate a safe place not far from the hospital for development into a market.