The management of the Wa Municipal Hospital has appealed for urgent support to address the hospital’s deteriorating infrastructure, obsolete medical equipment, mounting debts and inadequate funding, warning that the challenges are affecting healthcare.
The Medical Superintendent, Dr Abukari Zakari, made the appeal during a visit by traditional leaders from the Waala Traditional Area to the hospital.
He said although the facility was downgraded from a regional hospital to a municipal hospital six years ago, it continued to provide specialist and referral services to patients across the Upper West Region and parts of the Savannah Region.
Dr Zakari said many of the hospital's buildings and electrical systems had deteriorated, while most of its medical equipment had become obsolete.
He added that inadequate National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) reimbursement rates, inherited debts and limited funding had placed enormous financial pressure on the hospital.
The Medical Superintendent further disclosed that the hospital had no functional incubators, Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machines or radiant warmers for the care of premature babies.
The leader of the delegation and Paramount Chief of Busa, Naa Ali Pelpuo, described the situation as worrying and called on the government, the Ghana Health Service, the Ministry of Health, development partners and philanthropists to support the hospital.
The Guli Naa, Nubalannaang Seidu Braimah, also lamented the neglect of the historic facility, saying it remained an important referral centre despite its challenges.
He questioned why the hospital had been made to inherit debts accumulated when it served as a regional hospital.
"A regional hospital should not pass its debts on to a municipal hospital.
Those responsible must deal with this burden," he said.
The traditional leaders expressed optimism that with collective support, the hospital would be restored to full capacity to continue serving residents of the Upper West Region and neighbouring areas.
