Minority Calls for Power Audits in All Health Facilities Following Incident at Tema General Hospital

Following a tragic incident at Tema General Hospital, where a newborn lost its life allegedly due to a power outage, the Minority in Parliament is urging the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service (GHS) to conduct comprehensive power audits in all health facilities across the nation. The aim is to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply for critical medical functions, even during national grid failures.

The opposition lawmakers are also demanding the immediate exemption of all health facilities from the current load shedding program. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, the Juaboso Member of Parliament and ranking member on the health committee of Parliament, stressed the urgency of this action, highlighting the potential for avoidable deaths caused by power cuts in healthcare settings.

The heartbreaking incident occurred on Tuesday, March 26, 2024, when a nursing mother, Rashida Abubakar Tetteh, lost her three-day-old baby at the Tema General Hospital due to alleged power outage-related complications. Tetteh recounted her devastating experience, noting that medical equipment failure during the blackout led to the tragic loss.

Expressing profound grief, the grandmother of the deceased baby, Rebecca Johnson, lamented the circumstances surrounding the incident and questioned the preparedness of healthcare facilities to handle such crises.

Despite the hospital’s denial of any fatalities resulting from the Tuesday power outage, concerns persist regarding the impact of electricity disruptions on patient care and safety. The Tema General Hospital, in a press release issued on Wednesday, March 27, reaffirmed its commitment to patient well-being but faced skepticism regarding its assertions.

Addressing the matter on News Central on TV3, Mintah Akandoh stressed the need for a thorough investigation into the incident while underscoring the broader imperative of ensuring continuous electricity supply in healthcare facilities. He emphasized the Minority’s demand for immediate exemption of health facilities from load shedding and the commencement of power audits to prevent similar tragedies in the future.