HIV Cases In BA Rising?

The ambulance donated to the hospital

MEDICAL DIRECTOR in charge of Brong Ahafo Regional Hospital Dr. Stephen Amponsah has expressed worry that the incidence of HIV cases reported at its Out Patient Department (OPD) is rising.

According to him, statistics available indicates that out of 1,050 patients who visited the hospital, 2.13 % were tested HIV positive, with 10.68 % hypertensive and 5.8 % diabetic.

Dr. Amponsah said the situation is not the best and therefore made a passionate appeal especially to the youth to be ‘cautious’ of their sexual lifestyles in order not to contract the deadly disease.

Dr. Amponsah made the revelation when a benevolent organization – Lysaro and Mchall Group of Companies – donated an ambulance and hospital beds to the facility.

Making the donation, the board chairman of the company, Dr. Cynthia Adjei, said when her mother became sick and was referred to the hospital, there was no ambulance to transport her and that experience had influenced her to support the hospital.

So far, the company has donated about 1,050 hospital beds to various facilities across the country including leading centres like Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, 37 Military Hospital, La General Hospital, Koforidua Teaching Hospital, the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, among others.  

Dr. Amponsah later expressed the gratitude of the hospital management to the company for the presentation in their times of need.

He said the beds are going to help solve the ‘no-bed’ situation and also said the ambulance would be stationed at Amansua Hospital in the Dormaa East District.

He also appealed to government to continue to settle outstanding NHIS arrears to help run the hospital successfully since the Internally Generated Fund (IGF) being used is not enough to fully support the hospital.

“About 96.3 % of our OPD cases depends on NHIS and the rest 3.7 % on corporate organizations.  Thus, if arrears are not cleared on time, we will find it difficult to operate to the satisfaction of our clients,” he lamented.

FROM, Daniel Y Dayee, Sunyani

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