The Wa West District Hospital has received surgical equipment and financial support worth hundreds of thousands of cedis following an intervention by the Member of Parliament for Wa West, Supt (Rtd) Peter Lanchene Toobu.

The intervention is expected to improve emergency care and reduce referrals to the Wa Regional Hospital, particularly for pregnant women.

The hospital currently faces critical equipment shortages, with nurses in some cases having to share a single blood pressure machine across two or three wards.

The Medical Superintendent, Dr Irenious Chebambo, said the hospital also struggles with basic surgical equipment and laboratory services.

He said pregnant women with conditions such as pre-eclampsia sometimes have to wait up to two days for kidney-function test results because blood samples are sent to Wa, about 30 kilometres away.

“If we wait two days for results from Wa, the woman may die,” he told JoyNews.

Responding to the concerns, Mr Toobu secured surgical equipment and consumables from supporters in the United States and provided GH¢300,000 through GCB Bank to support healthcare needs in the district.

He also directed the release of an additional GH¢40,000 to procure a Chemistry Analyser for the hospital.

“I’ve heard you. You said you send samples to Wa and wait for days. That should not be. I am directing that Forty Thousand Ghana Cedis should be released immediately for the procurement of a Chemistry Analyser for this hospital,” he said.

Breakdown of GH¢300,000

The GH¢300,000 support will cover several projects and health needs, including:

• GH¢100,000 for a laboratory at Eggu Health Centre, with GH¢75,000 already released;
• GH¢65,000 to complete maternity blocks at Piisie;
• GH¢25,000 for a delivery room at Bankpama;
• GH¢25,000 for administration;
• GH¢15,000 for motorbike maintenance;
• GH¢20,000 for a motorbike for the Nyagli CHPS compound;
• GH¢30,000 for Hepatitis B and C and anti-snake vaccines;
• GH¢10,000 to complete nurses’ quarters at Kukpali; and
• GH¢20,000 for delivery beds for maternity blocks across the district.

Mr Toobu said the support formed part of his responsibility to improve healthcare delivery in the constituency.

“To be a representative of the people is a humble gift from God. To become an MP is not a post. An MP is a task given to you to deliver,” he said.

Ambulance shortage

The Wa West District Director of Health Services, Cecilia Kakraba, commended the MP but appealed for a dedicated ambulance for the hospital.

She said the district currently relies on an ambulance managed by the District Assembly, which is not always available when emergencies arise.

“When we have an emergency, especially when a pregnant woman needs to be referred to Wa Regional Hospital, we call, and we are told the ambulance is in Tamale, or it is in Bolgatanga,” she said.

“It is very worrying. We are losing time, and sometimes we lose lives. If you can help us get a dedicated ambulance that will be stationed here at the hospital, it will go a long way to save the lives of mothers and babies.”

Madam Kakraba also disclosed that Mr Toobu personally spent GH¢35,000 last year to repair the hospital after a rainstorm damaged its roof.

Chief offers land for expansion

Meanwhile, the Wechiau Naa Palace has pledged land to support the future expansion of the hospital.

The Paramount Chief, Wechiau Naa, has offered to release land free of charge for the construction of an outpatient department, additional wards and staff accommodation.

Dr Chebambo said the interventions would help reduce referrals, lower costs for patients and improve the hospital’s ability to manage emergencies locally.

He said the ultimate goal was to help reduce preventable maternal deaths in the district.