The Damongo Hospital in the West Gonja District in the Northern Region has been shut down since Sunday due to attacks on nurses by some residents in the area.
The facility takes care of over 2,000 patients in the district as well as other districts and surrounding communities in the area.
Information available indicates that the facility has been experiencing some theft-related issues for some time now. On Sunday, two motorbikes belonging to the staff of the hospital were stolen, prompting them to lodge a complaint to the police, and some persons were arrested in the process.
According to reports, two persons who were arrested by the police were later granted bail; the arrest which angered some youth in the area to launch an attack on the facility and in the process injuring some nurses.
The angry youth allegedly threatened the staff of the facility; a situation which forced them to lay down their tools to save their lives.
The authorities of the facility temporarily shut down the place and discharged all patients in the hospital.
A patient who spoke to DAILY GUIDE on condition of anonymity said, “It’s unfortunate that this is happening but we have no choice than to go home hoping that they would reopen the place again but those who have money can still go to private clinics here.”
The spokesperson for the nurses, Salifu Lukman, told DAILY GUIDE that their stolen motorbikes should be brought back to them.
He mentioned that they would only go back to work if only the district can assure them of maximum security both at home, adding, “They threatened us that we are not from Damongo and so we cannot come and tell them what they should do so if we are not coming from here then the officials should release us to go to where we were also born.”
Salifu Lukman called on the district police to arrest the perpetrators who are threatening them and prosecute them to serve as deterrents to others.
The West Gonja District Health Director, Hajia Fuseina, who confirmed the incident to DAILY GUIDE, expressed her disappointment in the attacks on the staff, adding that the facility risked closure if the chiefs fail to intervene and talk to the youth.
From Eric Kombat, Damongo