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Some Nurses at the surgical ward of the Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital in Takoradi have been accused by some patients of stealing their drugs and reselling it to them. They claim these nurses operate make shift chemical shops from their private lockers.
The situation is reported to be a worrying phenomenon in many of the wards. This 'business' is so lucrative that the nurses are said to sometimes buy drugs from pharmaceutical shops in town and sell to patients who are under their care, virtually running down the hospital pharmacy.
According to Joy FM’s Western regional correspondent, Kweku Owusu Preprah, this act has been going in the Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital for many years. He says the nurses engaged in the practice often steal the drugs patients receive from the hospital's pharmacy.
He revealed that when patients are discharged or die while on admission, the relatives may decide to give the remainder of the drugs to these nurses who later resell it to patients.
According to an anonymous patient, a drug stolen from him by a nurse was later resold to him when he returned from the theatre.
“I was supposed to be given three dosages of a particular drug, one daily for three days. On the third day when the nurse came round to administer my medication, he checked my folder and told me that I am short of one dosage. I enquired how it is that I have two dosages when I am supposed to take three; because after my surgery, the pharmacy gave me all the drugs I needed. When I asked him how I can get one to buy, he replied he has some which he later brought from his cubicle at the price of Gh¢15”, the anonymous patient recounted.
According to Kweku Owusu Peprah, some nurses have got the full complement of all basic drugs that are required for emergency care and that of patients who undergo surgery.
Sometimes, these nurses in this trade employ some patients as agents.
“They (nurses) will give him the drugs and he will pretend as if bought more than necessary when he was asked to buy that particular drug. The nurses will then intentionally direct you to buy the drug from that patient”.
According to Owusu Peprah, some nurses even take drugs from doctors and sell to patients.
The management of the Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital is struggling to contain nurses and other health professionals engaged in these acts.
The Deputy Director of Nursing Services revealed that management will conduct swoops and those found culpable will be dealt with ruthlessly.
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