A brain tumor patient, John Newman, was turned away by the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital Tuesday morning because of the closure of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Surgical Department.

Mr Newman had been on admission for the past two weeks but couldn't undergo surgery because the ICU was closed. To manage his condition, doctors placed him on medication and told him to go home Tuesday.

“They [doctors] are telling me they will have to discharge me to go home and come back for them to see how soon the ICU will be made ready”, he said.

Like Mr Newman, there are many other patients with similar and fatal conditions who have not been attended to because of the closure of the ICU.

The ICU houses all the necessary equipment required for the recuperation of patients such as Mr Newman after their surgeries.

However, the three-weeks closure of the unit meant that patients in dire circumstances would have to manage their sicknesses until the unit is operational.

JOYNEWS’ Kwetey Nartey reported that even though the ICU was opened two weeks ago, it was for health delivery purposes.

According to an official of the hospital who pleaded anonymity, the clinics were opened to afford the medical science and the College of Surgeons students the opportunity to access patients for their internal exams.

“The clinics were opened because there was an exam coming up both for the medical school exam and the Ghana College of Surgeons”, he said arguing it is not true the clinics were opened to attend to patients.

However, Public Relations Officer of Korle Bu, Mustapha Salifu has refuted the claim arguing the clinics were opened because the upgrade work is completed.

“We gave ourselves before the end of March to complete all the outstanding works at the ICU. And true to our words we were able to deliver before the deadline we gave”, he said.

He said management wants the new equipment installed in the three clinics to be duly tested to make sure they are working before the general public is granted access. 

But doctors who spoke to JOYNEWS have revealed Mr Newman needs urgent care because his condition is worsening by the day.

JOYNEWS has revealed there is no ventilator for Mr Newman to be placed on once he undergoes surgery.

This, therefore, means that brain tumor patients who need critical surgery like Mr Newman would have to wait until such a time when officials of the Korle Bu Teaching hospital will open the ICU which they expect to do in a few weeks' time.

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