Hospital authorities at the Nandom St. Theresa Hospital in the Upper West region are bemoaning the situation in which doctors have to queue before they can use the theatre for operations.

They are unhappy about having to wait long hours before they can use the only operating theatre available for use by the four doctors on call there. 

The hospital was first started as a dispensary and maternity home in 1953 by the missionary of My Lady of Africa ostensibly to deal with yaws which by then was on the increase and worrying the residents. 

In 1966 the increasing number of visitors to the facility compelled government to approach the Bishop of the Wa Diocese to provide better and improved infrastructure. 

According to them, the situation where surgeries conducted at the theatre is based on first come first serve basis is not only bad for the hospital but puts the patient's lives at risk. 

The lack of infrastructural amenities at most hospitals across the country is not uncommon and its far reaching effects can be deadly. 

According to the Medical Superintendent of the facility, Dr Robert Amesiya who catalogued the challenges they face said, "even though we have four physiotherapists posted by the Ghana Health Service to help, space and equipment is not available."

"Also, another area we need support is the operating theatre which currently we use for emergencies for maternal healthcare, general and orthopaedic surgeries."

The authorities are therefore calling on charitable organisations, philanthropists as well as non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to come to their aid.