The Tema General Hospital experienced a power outage on Tuesday, March 26, 2024, affecting several key departments. Among the affected areas was the Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), which experienced the outage from approximately 8 pm to 12:45 am.
Videos circulating online showcased the impact of the outage on operations within the NICU. Upon investigation by Graphic Online on Wednesday morning, it was discovered that although the hospital had standby generators, they failed to function due to technical issues.
Dr. Samuel Obeng-Mensah, in charge of Administration and Support Services at Tema General Hospital, addressed the media on Thursday regarding the incident.
While management was still verifying the authenticity of the viral video (above), Dr. Obeng-Mensah assured that the hospital had contingency measures in place to manage power outages.
He explained that the hospital operates with five different generators powering various units during outages, given the facility’s dispersed layout lacking a centralized generator for the entire premises. Management is actively working to acquire a larger capacity generator to meet their needs during such occurrences.
Dr. Obeng-Mensah acknowledged that the hospital faces challenges due to its age and size, particularly with wiring issues. He welcomed support from companies and individuals to address these challenges and ensure uninterrupted healthcare services.
Source:graphiconline