The Management of Lower Manya Krobo and Yilo Krobo Health Directorates within the municipalities of the Eastern region are appealing to the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to restore power to the Krobo Enclave.
According to them, the indefinite power cut has adversely affected their activities, in that they are unable to provide quality health services in both municipalities.
The affected health facilities within the municipalities mentioned in a joint petition to the power distribution company include Yilo Krobo District Hospital, Somanya Polyclinic, Atua Government Hospital, and St. Martins De Pores Hospital, Agomanya.
Yilo and Lower Manya Krobo Municipalities have been plunged into total darkness since Wednesday, July 27, 2022, following the decision by ECG to shut down the feeders to the Bulk Supply Point (BSP) which supplies power to the two Municipalities over differences in the ongoing prepaid metering.
But in the joint petition signed by the Municipal Health Directors of Yilo Krobo and Manya Krobo respectively, Mrs Irina Ofei and Dr Bismark Sarkodie said the problem has affected their operations both directly and indirectly.
They explained further that the situation is so dire that they are forced to spend millions of Ghana cedis on diesel to power generators at the various facilities on daily basis.
Among other things, they noted that the situation affects them most in aspects of clinical and public health care, especially maternity units, laboratory services, in-patients, vaccine fridges, and administration.
The management again alleged that the only generator plant which was donated by ECG to Somanya polyclinic has been taken back by the power company without any explanation, leaving the facility no alternative source of power.
To mention a few, it noted that the Municipal Health Directorate spends GH¢I,500.00 on fuel daily since Friday, July 27, 2022, to ensure that the vaccines are kept under appropriate Cold Chain Management.
This is because “all vaccines from affected health centres and CHPS compounds have been brought to Municipal Health Directorate cold room, therefore facility EPI coordinators are spending additional transportation cost twice a day on daily basis.
“From the above submissions from health facilities from both municipalities, the high cost of fuel incurred in powering the generator sets is not sustainable and we may not be able to sustain it to provide the quality health care services as expected,” it explained in the petition dated Monday, August 1, 2022.
Given these, the Health Directorates of Yilo Krobo and Lower Maya Krobo want an immediate response from the ECG to the menace.
“Therefore, the managements wish to appeal to the Government and management of ECG to restore electricity power supply to all health facilities within the affected areas in the shortest possible time to avert a possible public health emergency,” they pleaded.
BELOW IS THE FULL STATEMENT
