Kumawu Government Polyclinic in the Sekyere Kumawu District has suspended surgeries and other services after a rainstorm ripped part of its roofing.

The male ward which was affected has been closed down, forcing patients to join the women and children wards.

The medical store and pharmacy are among essential service delivery points affected by the rainstorm.

 Wet equipment, medical supplies, records books and other essential records are being dried in the sun.

 Tents are raised to augment service delivery at parts of the facility spared by the storm.

Out-patient services, dispensary, and other services are rendered under the tents. Patients will have to sit under the tents in wait of healthcare delivery.

 Services like caesarian sections, though critical, are now suspended.

“We can’t do emergency caesarian section because the theatre is affected. Our male ward is also affected so we have moved the men to the female and child ward. Most services are being run under the tent,” Medical Superintendent, Dr. Alex Agbanu is disturbed.

 The Kumawu Polyclinic is a referral centre for many health facilities in the catchment. Referrals are currently sent to Efiduase which is far to reach.

 Sekyere Kumawu District Director of Health, Lawrence Adinku is worried the challenge faced here will affect general healthcare delivery in the District. 

For effective healthcare delivery, the hospital is running a paperless system which has been beneficial so far.

 Following the rainstorm, the computers that have become an essential part of healthcare delivery are defective forcing administrators to revert to the inefficient old system.

Dr. Agbanu says the hospital is unable to afford new computers.

"A lot of information of patientS is in the system since we don’t use physical folders anymore. Though the system is working there are no computers to help use the system. Management is finding ways to solve the problem but we need public support to do this especially with computers”.

 Meanwhile, the District Chief Executive, Samuel Addai Agyekum says the assembly will repair the roofing as soon as possible.

 The cost of damage has already been assessed.