The Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH), Dr Frank Owusu Sekyere, has issued a stern warning against the theft of critical medical equipment at the facility.

He said the hospital had been grappling with incidents where thieves cut and steal copper pipes that supplied oxygen to patients in the various wards.

Dr Sekyere revealed this during a media tour and inspection of ongoing construction works at the hospital on Monday.

He said the act was a “life-threatening phenomenon” that undermined healthcare delivery in the hospital.

"…People cut part of the copper pipes, so imagine a patient is on oxygen, and all of a sudden it stops because somebody has gone to cut it," Dr Sekyere said.

He noted that hospital authorities apprehended some individuals attempting to steal cables from the facility premises over the weekend, saying; "The case has been reported to the Korle-Bu Police Station for further investigation and possible prosecution.

The Acting CEO expressed concern over the financial burden these thefts placed on the hospital's resources. 

“The current replacement of stolen copper pipes is costing the institution approximately GH₵400,000, even though perpetrators might sell these materials for as little as GH₵50 as scrap,” Dr Sekyere said.

"It is ridiculously expensive trying to fix these copper pipes. Somebody takes a chunk of it for scrap, and we are paying through our noses just to have that one fixed." 

He said management had intensified surveillance measures and was in the advanced stages of procuring the services of private security to complement the institution's internal security personnel.

The facility has also installed CCTV cameras, although the Acting CEO acknowledged limitations in current monitoring capabilities. 

"We have had to resort to CCTV, but these are not monitored in real-time. So, if something happens, you probably may have an idea as to who might have done it. But then the harm has been caused already," he added.

In his caution to the public, particularly scrap dealers, the Acting CEO appealed for vigilance and reporting of suspicious persons attempting to sell hospital equipment.

He emphasised the potentially devastating impact of such thefts on patient care.

Dr Sekyere noted that despite the challenges Korle-Bu had an oxygen plant with the needed capacity to serve patients.

"Oxygen, of course, may have its own challenges every now and then but with the services and the maintenance of it, we should be able to put to rest the issue of oxygen," he added.

The team toured the renovation site of the Maternity Block, Ward E, the Orthopaedic Ward (Ward H), the Oxygen Plant, and the KBTH perimeter Wall under construction to enhance security.