Eight-year old boy dies due to lack of ambulance

Akyem Ayirebi, July 22, GNA - An eight-year-old boy who was referred from the Akyem Ayirebi Health Centre to the Oda Government Hospital died soon on arrival due to lack of an ambulance from the referral point.

Mr Francis Kumah, Medical Assistant in charge of the health centre, said this during the Half Year Performance Review meeting of the Akyemansa District Health Directorate. Mr Kumah said the boy, who was brought in a critical condition to the facility on July 20 and needed blood transfusion, was quickly referred.

He said the information he later gathered was that by the time his parents managed to convey him to the hospital it was too late. Mr Kumah therefore appealed to non-governmental organizations, the Ministry of Health and philanthropists to provide the District Health Directorate with an ambulance. He said the district, which was carved out of the Birim North District in 2008, is one of the most deprived districts in the country with poor roads making health delivery services difficult.