The Medical Superintendent of Peki Government Hospital, Mr. Daniel Okyere Koranteng, has appealed for urgent support to address overcrowding, inadequate infrastructure and staff shortages at the facility.

Speaking on challenges facing the hospital, he said the facility has an 87-bed capacity but continues to experience increasing patient numbers, particularly at the maternity ward.

According to him, the maternity ward, which was designed to accommodate 15 patients, often hosts more than 25 women at a time.

Mr. Koranteng explained that the hospital serves communities including Atimpoku, Frankadua, Asikuma, Peki, Peve and Havedzi, making it difficult to turn patients away even when the facility is operating at full capacity.

He noted that the nearest referral facility is a teaching hospital located about an hour away, forcing the hospital to manage patients under challenging conditions.

As a result, some pregnant women and new mothers are accommodated on mattresses on the floor due to inadequate bed space.

Mr. Koranteng said overcrowding at the maternity ward sometimes leads to patients being discharged earlier than medically ideal because of the limited space available.

He stressed the need for an expansion of the maternity unit to improve patient comfort and healthcare delivery.

The Medical Superintendent also highlighted concerns about the condition of hospital beds, saying many are not adjustable and place physical strain on health workers.

He appealed for ergonomic beds and improved mattresses to support both patients and staff.

Mr. Koranteng further indicated that the hospital's emergency unit is under pressure due to frequent road traffic accidents along the highway near the facility.

He disclosed that the hospital recorded 19 road accident cases involving more than 30 victims in the previous month.

Despite efforts to expand the emergency ward internally, he said the unit can accommodate only six beds and appealed for the establishment of a trauma centre to serve residents of South Dayi and neighbouring districts.

He also cited staff shortages as a major challenge, noting that nurses are often required to attend to between 10 and 15 patients while carrying out other responsibilities.

While commending ongoing recruitment efforts in the health sector, Mr. Koranteng called for continued employment of health workers to strengthen staffing levels at the hospital.

He assured residents of South Dayi and surrounding communities of the hospital's commitment to providing quality healthcare despite the challenges.

Mr. Koranteng also acknowledged support from local authorities, stating that the District Chief Executive is assisting with the renovation of a bungalow to house a newly posted doctor, while the area's Member of Parliament and the District Assembly provided a theatre lamp last year to support surgical services.

He expressed appreciation to stakeholders for their support and appealed for additional interventions to improve healthcare delivery at the facility.