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Medics at the Gyasikrom Health Center in the Bekwai Municipality of the Ashanti Region have not been at post for the past one week because they say their security cannot be guaranteed.
This was after two of their colleagues, including a female Physician Assistant were assaulted by some rampaging townfolks who also destroyed equipment at the facility.
Preliminary investigations led to the arrest of one of the suspects who has since been remanded into police custody by a court in Bekwai.
Court documents show that the enraged mob were infuriated by the healthcare workers’ conduct after an accident victim’s treatment had been delayed on that fateful day.
Director of the Ghana Health Service in the Bekwai Municipality Clement Nti Boateng said: “The people who accompanied the client did not exercise patience and so they assaulted the Physician Assistant and the security; damaged some facility items and equipment within the health center so we handed over the issue to the police for investigations. One person has been arrested and is assisting police investigations”.
The June 16 incident has affected operations in the 53-year-old health facility which is already grappling with infrastructural challenges.
Residents are also feeling the pinch. A 30-year-old pregnant mother Elizabeth Ofosu was turned away during her routine medical screening on Tuesday, June 22.
“I came for antenatal. But I have just been told that I cannot have access to a doctor because all the health workers are on strike. My time is almost due. Only God can determine my fate”, she told dailymailgh.com as she sat on a bench to look through her medical records.
Elizabeth joins other community members who are also begging for mercy.
“What they [the attackers] did was very bad and that should be condemned. We plead on the health workers to temper justice with mercy and return to post. We will be helpless when disaster strikes” , said Yaa Abrafi, a 40-year-old petty trader who is stationed just a few meters away from the facility.
An engagement with the traditional authorities and a delegation from the Ghana Health Service ended inconclusively pending a community meeting on Thursday, June 24, 2021.
“We returned to the community as part of efforts to help resolve the situation. Nananom and people of this community have assured us of their continuous support and backing to ensuring that such an unfortunate situation will never occur”, the Bekwai Municipal Health Director said.
SOURCE: DAILY MAIL GH
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