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The Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH), Dr. Frank Owusu-Sekyere, has raised alarm over the increasing cases of theft involving essential medical equipment at the hospital.
He revealed that some unscrupulous individuals have been cutting and stealing copper pipes used to supply oxygen to patients in various wards, a dangerous act that poses a significant threat to healthcare delivery.
Speaking during an inspection of ongoing rehabilitation works at the hospital, Dr. Owusu-Sekyere expressed deep concern about the financial and operational strain such thefts impose on the facility.
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He noted that replacing these stolen pipes is not only costly but also disrupts critical medical services.
To address this growing menace, Dr. Owusu-Sekyere announced that the hospital is intensifying its security efforts.
“We are more vigilant now. Then to add to it, we are in the advanced stages of procuring the services of private security to help with the dwindling numbers of our internal security, and if that comes on board, we think that we will be able to secure the place better,” he stated.
The hospital has also installed CCTV cameras to monitor activities, but Dr. Owusu-Sekyere admitted that their effectiveness is limited due to the lack of real-time surveillance.
“We have had to resort to CCTV, but these are not monitored in real time, so if something happens, you probably may have an idea who might have done it, but by then, the harm has been caused already,” he explained.
Dr. Owusu-Sekyere lamented the high costs associated with replacing the stolen equipment.
He highlighted a recent incident where the hospital had to spend approximately GHS400,000 to replace stolen copper pipes, which may have been sold as scrap for a meagre GHS50.
“It is ridiculously expensive to fix these copper pipes, so somebody takes a chunk of it for scrap, and we are paying through our noses to have that one fixed. I think the one that we are doing currently is costing us about GHS400,000 for something that somebody may have sold for GHS50,” he noted.
The CEO called on staff, patients, and the general public to be more vigilant and report any suspicious activities within the hospital premises.
He emphasised that securing the hospital’s infrastructure is crucial to ensuring uninterrupted healthcare delivery and saving lives.
As Korle Bu Teaching Hospital continues to deal with these challenges, the management hopes that enhanced security measures and public cooperation will help curb the menace and protect the facility’s vital resources.
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