Debt Threaten Healthcare Delivery at Wa Municipal Hospital
The Medical Superintendent of the Wa Municipal Hospital, Dr Bukari Zakari, has expressed deep concern over the deteriorating state of the facility, warning that ageing infrastructure, obsolete medical equipment and mounting debt are threatening healthcare delivery at one of the busiest hospitals in the Upper West Region.
Speaking during a visit by a delegation from the Wa Naa’s Palace, Dr Zakari said although the hospital was administratively downgraded from a regional to a municipal hospital six years ago, it continues to provide specialised and referral services to patients across the Upper West Region and parts of the Savannah Region.
“Although the hospital was downgraded administratively, the services we provide have not been downgraded. We still receive referrals from many districts and continue to perform specialised services,” he stated.
According to him, the reclassification significantly reduced the hospital’s internally generated funds because National Health Insurance Scheme reimbursements for municipal hospitals are lower than those for regional hospitals. He added that the facility also inherited substantial debts during the transition, placing additional pressure on its limited resources.
“The debts were left behind after the transition, yet our revenue has reduced. We are now expected to maintain old infrastructure, repair obsolete equipment and pay the debts with very little internally generated funds,” Dr Zakari explained.
He disclosed that more than 20 per cent of the hospital’s internally generated funds are spent on casual staff, while outstanding legal claims over unpaid debts continue to pose financial risks. He further highlighted deteriorating buildings, faulty electrical wiring that frequently sparks fires and obsolete medical equipment as major challenges confronting the hospital.
Dr Zakari revealed that the facility currently has no functioning incubators or Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machines and lacks adequate radiant warmers for premature babies.
“We don’t have a single functioning incubator or CPAP machine. For a hospital of this size, we need at least five of each to adequately care for newborns,” he said, appealing to the Ministry of Health, the Ghana Health Service, development partners, philanthropists and corporate organisations to support the rehabilitation of the hospital.
Leader of the Wa Naa’s Palace delegation, Naa Ali Pelpuo, Paramount Chief of Busa, said the visit was to assess the hospital’s condition and report back to the Wa Naa for possible intervention.
“We are here to acquaint ourselves with the situation so that we can report back to the Wa Naa and determine the best way forward. The health of the people is important and something must be done,” he said.
Also speaking during the visit, Guli Naa Nubalannaang Seidu Braimah said the hospital had been neglected following the establishment of the Upper West Regional Hospital. He urged government and health authorities to rehabilitate the century-old facility, replace obsolete medical equipment and address its financial challenges to improve healthcare delivery in the region.
