The Ranking Member of Parliament’s Health Committee, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, was prevented by authorities at the Department of Surgery at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) from carrying out an unannounced inspection on Monday, September 2.
He was there to inspect the facility and verify reports that the hospital had suspended emergency surgeries in the surgical department due to malfunctioning elevators.
Upon arriving at the surgical department, Akandoh 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?”
The ranking member attempted to explain to the authorities that his visit was to inspect the facility and verify reports that the hospital had suspended emergency surgeries in the surgical department due to a malfunctioning elevator.
“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 stated.
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.