Pregnant women sleep on floor at 37 Military Hospital

The Maternity ward of the 37 military hospital in Accra is becoming a hub of frustration and pain for expectant mothers due to the strike by the Ghana Medical Association (GMA).

Due to the pressure on the hospital facility, some expectant mothers are forced to sleep on floors as they cannot find beds to sleep on.

The only mothers privileged to sleep on beds are the ones who undergo surgery or have emergency cases.

While on a fact-finding mission to the 37 Military Hospital, Pulse.com.gh observed that patients, especially women who had been delivered of their babies at the maternity ward, were left with no choice but to lie on student mattresses on the floor of the corridors, with intravenous infusion stands over their heads.

Others who were waiting for medical attention sat in wheelchairs, screaming in pain and calling on the doctors and nurses to assist them.

According to the Public Relations Officer at the 37 military hospital, Captain Rita Anane, patients are made to sit on plastic and metal chairs to receive medical care while others are made to lie on the floor.

The situation, according to her was because of the increased numbers.

Since the strike by the doctors the 37 military hospital, the Police Hospital and faith based facilities are bearing the pressure of dealing with the huge numbers of sick people.

Need more personnel

On the availability of health personnel to take care of the patients, she said the department currently needed more hands, as a doctor was now forced to perform an average of 16 operations within 24 hours, saying, “That is a lot in terms of how much we are to do in a day.”

She said they also lacked nurses and cleaners to help in running the department.

She, therefore, called on organisations and benevolent institutions to come to the aid of the hospital for it to continue to provide quality healthcare services for its patients.