Agona Swedru, Oct 17, GNA - The Agona Swedru Government Hospital has been without a fridge to store blood at the Blood Bank for more than four years now.

A source close at the hospital told GNA that technicians had regulated a household fridge to highest level to preserve blood. It said that following a fire outbreak, which destroyed the blood bank fridge and other equipment at the laboratory about four years ago the management, bought a fridge not suitable for keeping blood without technical advice.

According to the source because of the situation, the hospital could not keep enough blood at the bank.

It said several appeals to the Ministry of Health and other organisations had not been heeded, adding that, the demand for blood at the hospital had increased as a result of high patronage and emergency cases referred from about four health centres in the district. About 627 patients are referred to receive blood every four months, it said, adding that, "if there is much pressure on the demand for blood at the hospital why is that the authorities have kept quiet about the situation".

The source indicated that some patients become stranded after taking their cards from the Out Patient Department (OPD) and going through other preliminary procedures because they could not get doctors to look after them.

There are two Doctors and two Medical Assistants one male and female to care for patients.

One of the Doctors is the District Director of Health Services while the other one is the Medical Superintendent. The female Medical Assistant who is also in charge of the children's ward only go to the consulting room after working in the ward, which leaves many patients stranded for several hours.