Medical Director at the Upper West Regional Hospital, Dr Robert Amesiya says quality healthcare has been compromised following the high demand of food by patients as against its supply.

The hospital which began operations last year has been receiving food supply from the government through the medical stores. But government’s supply has been insufficient due to the large number of patients being admitted.

Touching on the plight of the hospital during a donation of 100 bags of maize by USSUYA Ghana limited, Dr Robert Amesiya stated that "food is something that is continuously being used. You eat today, you eat tomorrow. So even though we have received items from the Central government through our medical stores but because they are being used every day, we run out not because food hasn't been supplied but because it is continuously being used."

He admitted that the adverse effect the Covid-19 pandemic has had on the economy has necessitated the need for government to turn its eyes to all sectors of the Ghana economy to cushion Ghanaians from some economic hardship, resulting in the limited supply of food provided by the government.

"We know we are not the only part of Ghana that Covid patients or other patients are being taken care of. Of course, because everywhere has to be taken care of, the supply might not be enough at all times," he said.

In an interview with JoyNews, Dr. Robert Amesiya said for the past 14 months, the Upper West Regional Hospital has not received seed funds from the government coupled with the erratic reimbursement of claims from the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA).

He, therefore, lauded the donation made by USSUYA Ghana limited stating that it comes at a time the hospital is in dire need of all the support it can obtain to help maintain the quality healthcare provided to patients.

He also encouraged other organisations to support the hospital in cash and in kind.

"So this has come at the right time. So what I can say is that we will use this. 100 bags will take us some time before we start going down - below our stock. So we are very happy," he said.

Presenting the bags of maize to the hospital was Rafiq Salam - a representative of USSUYA Ghana limited who stated that the month of Ramadan encourages the habit of sharing, thus the rationale for the donation from the company that has also diversified its production into agriculture to assist the hospital during its challenges.

USSUYA Ghana Limited later donated 50 bags of maize each to the Upper West Regional Chief Imam and the Zonal Mission of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission.

The company last year donated some Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) including hand sanitisers, face masks, thermometer guns and gallons of liquid soaps to the hospital to help in the fight against the pandemic.