List of major challenges facing Kwesimintsim Government Hospital

The Kwesimintsim Government Hospital is a heavily attended health facility with over 7,000 OPD attendance every month. over 5,000 of these patients are admitted annually for treatment, with a record of over a thousand maternal health every year. The hospital serves residents of the Kwesimintsim Municipality and adjoining districts.

Since the facility was upgraded from a polyclinic to a hospital, no major expansion works had been carried

The hospital is the first point of call when accidents and other emergency cases occur on the main Kwesimintsim-Agona-Nkwanta highway. 

However, the hospital has no accident and emergency block. All cases, including paediatrics, female ward and A&E are all attended to in one room. The hospital also lacks ambulance for referral cases. Various complaints of these challenges and more, facing the hospital have been ignored by both past and present governments.

According to our source, is the full list of challenges confronting the hospital, and militating against the delivery of quality health care at the facility. 

Our source tells us, the list has been forwarded to policy makers for some relief, but nothing has been done. According to our source, the last appeal was made on 4th June 2019 during a familiarisation visit by the Western Region Minister, Kobby Okyere Darko Mensah, but nothing has been done since then.

Full list of major challenges of the Kwesimntsim Hospital.

1. No major expansion work done since the facility was upgraded. This has resulted in serious congestion at almost every unit of the hospital (from OPD to Labour Ward).

2. No accident and emergency block (Pediatrics, Female Ward and A&E cases all accommodated in one building.

3. Inadequate space at the general stores of the hospital. Pharmacy has no stores. Newly constructed kitchen converted to pharmacy stores.

4. Hospital still uses analogue X-ray machine (one of the few facilities in the region still using analogue x-ray machines).

5. Hospital in dire need of a new chemistry analyser. An additional hematology analyser to reduce the workload on the only one the hospital purchased.

6. Heavy ultrasound scan machine is needed

Incubators and other equipment for Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Computers needed to facilitate the roll out of Health Administrative and Management System (HAMS) at the facility.

7. Hospital has no pick up for administrative errands

No ambulance for referral of patients

No single accommodation for hospital staff within the catchment area of the facility. 

8. All emergency staff are accommodated at far distances from the hospital.

9. No offices for key staff (Medical Supt, HI, Nutrition, Procurement)Personnel/human resources

Laboratory personnel (3 biomedical scientists, 2 laboratory technicians)

Pharmacy staff (1 pharmacist, 2 pharmacy technicians)

Prescribers

Utility staff orderlies, security men.