Back to Life- GH¢500,000 gynae theatre now operational

Front Page: January 23, 2008.
Story: Albert K. Salia

THE GH¢500,000 theatre at the gynaecology unit of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital became operational last Monday when the first cases of surgery involving two patients were conducted there.
It brought to an end two-and-a-half years of complaints by hospital staff that the facility could not be used because of the absence of critically needed equipment to activate the theatre.
The theatre was inaugurated on July 27, 2005 by President Kufuor but the staff complained that it could not be used because some basic theatre equipment and other facilities were not provided as part of the rehabilitation exercise.
But on Monday, the two patients were operated upon at the theatre while four cases were booked for yesterday. As of 11:40am when the Daily Graphic was leaving the hospital, surgeons were on the second of the four cases.
In July, last year, the Chief Director of the Ministry of Health, Lepowura M.N.D. Jawula, visited the hospital and pledged the commitment of the Ministry to provide funds for the purchase and supply of equipment to enable them to use the theatre by September, last year.
The theatre has three operating rooms and restrooms for doctors, nurses and others.
The acting Chief Executive of the hospital, Dr Ben Annan, told the Daily Graphic that procurement procedures delayed the use of the theatre, although the ministry provided an additional GH¢500,000 for the purpose of securing the required equipment.
He said with the use of the Gynaecology Theatre, the Child Health Theatre would be freed for use by only the staff of that department .
He said the Gynaecology Theatre, which had not seen any rehabilitation after it was built in 1923 until funds were released in 2004 for its rehabilitation, was bigger and had better facilities.
Dr Annan expressed his appreciation to President Kufuor and the ministry for the release of funds for the rehabilitation and purchase of equipment.
He explained that with the theatre in use now, the waiting time for patients would reduce.
He said the focus of the management now would be on the Obstetrics theatre, which, he hoped, would be completed within a couple of weeks.
According to Dr Annan, when that was completed, it would go a long way to reduce both maternal and infant morbidity.
He said the rehabilitated theatre was also closer to the Gynae Ward and would, therefore, halt the incidence of wheeling patients from one end of the hospital to another.
The Principal Nursing Officer of the Gynaecology Theatre, Madam Felicia Larbie, said although all the facilities had not been provided at the new theatre, it was much better than the theatre at the Child Health unit.