Police Hospital Nurses refuse to treat bleeding patient

Accra, July 28, GNA - Nurses and orderlies at the Police Hospital in Accra on Saturday refused to attend to an emergency case of a bleeding patient with the explanation that the doctor on duty was tired and was resting. Bewildered patients at the Out Patient Department (OPD) between 1310 hours and 1350 hours, the period the patient underwent the ordeal, grumbled in vain.

The patient, Mr Gideon Sackitey, General Secretary of the Ghana News Agency (GNA) Chapter of the Ghana Journalists Association, had a cut on a finger and was bleeding profusely and was taken to the OPD by a friend. " The orderly and nurses on duty at the OPD refused to give me attention. After waiting for well over 25 minutes, my friend with whom I went to the hospital advised that once they were not ready to treat me we should leave for another hospital." He said it was at that stage that they learnt that the only doctor on duty was tired and an orderly explained; "we cannot go to call him. He will have to come back by himself".

Mr Sackitey said: "I could not endure the pain, and, therefore, I asked for a refund of my registration fee, which was paid, and I left for the nearby SSNIT Hospital, where I was promptly treated and discharged after my cut was stitched." A Doctor at the SSNIT Hospital later told the GNA that, any bleeding case constituted an emergency and must be given immediate attention by all medical staff. When the Director of the Police Hospital was contacted, he confirmed that, "any bleeding case is an emergency and must be given the necessary attention." He denied knowledge of the case. But promised to investigate it.