The Laboratory Department of the Swedru Municipal Government Hospital has ceased performing its critical functions following the breakdown of the Hematology and Bio-Chemistry Analyzer machines over two months ago.

The breakdown of the two important machines has impacted negatively on the daily attendance at the Out Patient Department (OPD) of the hospital.

Mr Andrews Adjei Annan, Head of Laboratory Department of the Hospital, said to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Agona Swedru.

He said patients mostly pregnant women and others with various diseases which laboratory tests are required are referred to private laboratories.

He said basic laboratory investigations carried out on pregnant women who are due for labour and surgery at the theater or on admission at maternity ward cannot be done.

Mr Annan said these machines are also used to check the new born babies and mothers who were in critical condition in order to refer to doctors for emergency treatment.

He said the laboratory work has become very difficult due to malfunctioning of the machines.

Mr Annan said the two machines were donated by the National AIDS Control Programme in 2009 and needed immediate replacement to care for clients of the health facility.

Mr Annan said the management of the hospital has officially written to Central Regional Health Directorate about the state of the machines.

He appealed to Non-Governmental Organizations, financial institutions, and corporate bodies to come to the aid of the hospital.