The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Tema General Hospital is grappling with significant challenges, primarily stemming from frequent power outages and the absence of alternative electricity sources, jeopardizing uninterrupted service delivery.
Specializing in providing critical care for pre-term babies and infants with various complications, including respiratory issues, infections, and birth defects, the NICU relies heavily on medical equipment such as incubators and oxygen machines to support patient care.
A video circulated on social media purportedly captured the NICU plunged into darkness during a power outage on Tuesday evening, raising concerns about the safety and well-being of the babies under care. Mothers of the infants confirmed the incident, expressing fears about potential harm to their babies if the situation persists unresolved.
The mothers appealed to the Electricity Company of Ghana to minimize power cuts to the hospital, stressing the urgent need for alternative power sources, such as generators with adequate capacity, to ensure continuous operation of the NICU.
Apostle Dr. Samuel Obeng-Mensah, Administrator of Support Services at Tema General Hospital, acknowledged the power outage but could not confirm if the viral video was indeed from their NICU. He emphasized the hospital's reliance on generators to mitigate power disruptions, with the largest generator providing power to critical departments, including the NICU.
Dr. Obeng-Mensah underscored the need for a larger generator, approximately 450 kV, to enhance the hospital's power generation capacity. He appealed to companies and philanthropists to support the hospital in acquiring the necessary equipment to address the challenges faced by the NICU and ensure the provision of essential healthcare services to infants in need.
The situation highlights the critical importance of addressing infrastructure and resource deficiencies to safeguard the health and well-being of vulnerable patients in healthcare facilities like the NICU at Tema General Hospital.
Source Name: Laudia Sawer