Who are you? — Akandoh frustrated and blocked from inspecting lifts at Korle-Bu

The management of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital has reportedly prevented the Ranking Member on the Parliamentary Committee on Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, from inspecting the lifts in the hospital's Surgical Department.

Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, who also serves as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Juaboso, was on a routine visit to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital to assess the state of its facilities, with a particular focus on the condition of the lifts in the Surgical Department.

Reports indicate that Akandoh had received multiple complaints from patients and staff about the dysfunctional lifts, which are vital for the efficient operation of the hospital, especially in critical areas like surgery.

Upon arrival, however, Akandoh and his team were reportedly barred from accessing the lift area by hospital management on Monday, September 2, 2024.

He was confronted by some senior doctors of the department.

In a viral video, Dr Adu Aryee, a surgeon at the facility questioned the MP's identity and authority to conduct the visit without prior notice.

I don't know you, Who are you? Do you have any letter introducing you? I have never met you in my life. told I don't know you. Do I know? Dr Adu Aryee said.

Akandoh expressed his disappointment with the situation, stating that his visit was part of his oversight responsibilities as a member of the Health Committee.

He emphasised the importance of ensuring that all equipment and facilities in the hospital are functioning properly to provide the best care to patients.

He said I am a member of parliament. It has come to my attention that the lift at the surgical block is not working so I have come to see it for myself, he said.

Following the altercation, Akandoh addressed the media, expressing frustration over the encounter.

It came to the attention of the public that Korle Bu has suspended indefinitely elective surgeries and the reason they sighted was as a result of faulty lifts. This morning I decided to pay a surprise visit to see for myself.

Unfortunately, the lifts are not working. We are here at the department of surgery and the lift at the department of surgery is not working. Information we have gathered is that some of the lifts have been down for the past four to five good years.

For me, it is rather unconscionable for a whole hospital, a teaching hospital such as Korle Bu, to derelict its duty for just maintaining a lift to facilitate the movement of patients to get the quality of healthcare they need.

It is rather unfortunate and therefore I am calling on the government, the Minister responsible for health, they cannot suspend surgeries indefinitely. Within the next 24 hours, we must see the end of this unconscionable behaviour. We cannot accept that reason, he stated.

The reasons for the blockage remain unclear, but it has led to speculation about possible issues with the hospital's infrastructure that management may not want to be publicly disclosed.

It has been reported that one out of two elevators at the maternity block and surgical department of the Korle-Bu Hospital have not been functioning for over six months now, causing inconvenience to patients and visitors.

The one which is working could stop for three days and during this, nurses have no option but to help patients climb to any of the floors of the six-storey block.

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