Rainstorm rips off parts of Kumawu Polyclinic

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A recent downpour which battered parts of the Sekyere Kumawu District in the Ashanti region also ripped the roofs of parts of the Kumawu Government Polyclinic.

The impact has forced management to suspend services including caesarian sections.

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Accra-based Joy FM reported that the hospital had salvaged some of the affected items such as medical supplies, record books were dried in the sun.

The male ward which was affected has been closed down, forcing patients to join the women and children wards, JoyNews reported.

The medical store and pharmacy are among essential service delivery points affected by the rainstorm.

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The destruction had not affected healthcare delivery at the facility as both healthcare providers and patients were going about their normal activities.

Tents were being mounted to render out-patient services, dispensary and others.

The Kumawu Polyclinic is a referral centre for many health facilities in the catchment. Referrals are currently sent to Efiduase which quite a distance from Kumawu.

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Sekyere Kumawu District Director of Health, Lawrence Adinku told JoyNews he is worried the challenge will affect general healthcare delivery in the District.

For effective healthcare delivery, the hospital is running a paperless system which has helped make the polyclinic’s management system very efficient.

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Unfortunately, following the rainstorm, the computers that have become an essential part of healthcare delivery are defective, forcing administrators to revert to the inefficient old system.

Dr. Agbanu said the hospital is unable to afford new computers.

“A lot of information of patients is in the system since we don’t use physical folders anymore. Though the system is working there are no computers to help use the system.”

“Management is finding ways to solve the problem but we need public support to do this especially with computers,” he added.

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Meanwhile, the District Chief Executive, Samuel Addai Agyekum says the assembly will work to repair the polyclinic’s roofing as soon as possible.

The cost of damage has already been assessed.

Source: Daily Mail GH with additional files from myjoyonline.com