Disconnection of water supply to Swedru Hospital hampering service delivery

Agona Swedru, June 27, GNA - Authorities of the Agona Swedru Government Hospital have appealed to the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) to restore water to the facility to relieve them of spending huge sums money to purchase water for its operation.

They have also urged the GWCL to try to restore water to communities in its catchments area without water to avoid the outbreak of epidemic. Dr A.K. Dzordzegbe, Medical Superintendent of the Hospital, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) said any delay in restoring water to the Hospital and the people of Agona Swedru could affect health and service delivery.

A continued downpour in the Agona Municipality on June 20 caused havoc including the destruction of pipe lines and properties costing several thousands of Ghana cedis and rendering over 2,800 people homeless. Dr Dzordzegbe said if water was not immediately restored to the people, they would be compelled to fetch water from unhygienic wells and streams that could result in the outbreak of cholera.

He said currently it had become difficult to respond to emergency cases late in the night since doctors could not cross the bridge with their cars. He appealed to the government and other donor agencies to ensure the construction of the broken bridges.

A visit by the GNA to some communities in the Swedru Township revealed that refuse containers had not been emptied since vehicles had no access due to the broken down bridges.

Mr Frank Essilfie, Agona West Municipal Environmental Health Officer, said arrangements had been made with the Gomoa East District and Effutu Municipal Assemblies to give their refuse disposal trucks to clear the heaped refuse.

He assured the people to bear with the Assembly since it was doing its best to normalize the situation.