A newly born baby died at the Tema General Hospital on Wednesday, March 27, 2024, due to the erratic power supply situation at the facility, Accra-based GHOne TV has reported on ‘X’.
“The neonatal unit, where infants requiring intensive care are housed, relies heavily on electricity to sustain life-saving equipment such as oxygen support and emergency care devices. The generator intended to provide backup power for the unit is prone to shutting down when overloaded,” a nurse post said in the video.
In the video, the neonatal ward was plunged into darkness due to a loss of power supply.
“There is lights out here at the Tema General Hospital. This baby is on CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) and all of it have gone off. While there is oxygen available, there is no flow meter to connect… If we don’t get light in few minutes, the probability that we might lose a lot of babies is high,” she added.
The staff indicated that the unit is full, which also includes about 10 babies who are in critical condition. The video exposes the stark reality of the impact of the power crisis.
In another video at the same facilities, some mothers are captured fanning their babies with cloth because of the heat in the wards after the electricity went out.
Source: Ghana/MaxTV/max.com.gh/Max89.7FM/Emmanuella Akimbi/