Dr Sefakor Juliet Kpormegbe, the Medical Superintendent of the Ketu North Municipal Hospital (KNMH), in Weta, has appealed for urgent support to address critical infrastructure, logistics, and staffing challenges that continues to hinder effective healthcare delivery at the facility.
Dr Kpormegbe made the appeal during the hospital’s third medical and surgical outreach organised in collaboration with the West African College of Surgeons (WACS), noting that poor road access, lack of an official pickup vehicle, and inadequate human resources were major constraints.
“We do not have an official pickup vehicle; our access roads are in a very deplorable state, and we are under-resourced in terms of staff. We are also working towards staff motivation and require seed funding to maintain our equipment. We welcome volunteers and partners who can adopt some of our wards and help us maintain these heavy-duty machines,” she said.
Dr Kpormegbe said despite the challenges, the hospital remained committed to delivering quality healthcare to all patients without discrimination.
“At Ketu North Municipal Hospital, we provide quality healthcare to everyone, irrespective of gender, affiliation, or background. We are grateful to individuals and stakeholders within and beyond the municipality who continue to support us and show concern for the progress of the hospital,” she stated.
She emphasised that sustained support would translate into improved services for the entire community.
“If the hospital is well-resourced and functioning optimally, the people will benefit. When you come here, you should be confident that you will receive proper care and healing,” she added.
Dr Kpormegbe further identified low attendance as a persistent challenge, largely attributed to the poor condition of the access road leading to the facility.
“One of the biggest complaints from our clients is the road. It is very bad and difficult to use. There is limited transportation, and even motorbikes struggle to access the hospital. As a result, people stay at home until their conditions become critical before seeking care,” she explained.
She noted that although attendance had improved, from an average of about 10 patients per day when she assumed office to approximately 25 patients daily, the numbers were still low for a municipal hospital.
“With a good road, we could easily attend to more than 100 patients a day. Many people prefer facilities closer to them because getting here is a challenge. That is why we continue to rely on community outreach programmes and periodic surgical interventions to reach our people,” she said.
A Laboratory Technician at the hospital, who also spoke to the Ghana News Agency, corroborated the concerns, describing the poor condition of the Hadzi–Metrikasa road, which serves as the main access route to the hospital, as a major factor contributing to low client turnout.
He said the situation worsens during the rainy season, making it difficult for both patients and staff to commute, and appealed to the government and the Ketu North Municipal Assembly to urgently fix the road to ease transportation challenges and enhance healthcare delivery at the facility.