Volta Regional Hospital Declared A ‘Death Trap’
…No ICU, Surgical Wards, As Facility Deteriorate With Leaking & Smelly Rooms
The Volta Regional Hospital in Hohoe has come under intense criticism following revelations of severe infrastructure and equipment deficits, including the absence of an Intensive Care Unit (ICU), deteriorating buildings and low staff morale.
The Paramount Chief of the Gbi Traditional Area and President of the Gbi Traditional Council, Togbuiga Gabusu VII, has described the facility as a “death trap” after an unannounced visit to the hospital with other traditional leaders.
“We decided to have first-hand information on all the issues that we have been hearing and lo and behold, they are not far from what we have seen ourselves. The hospital, indeed, is a death trap,” Togbuiga Gabusu said while briefing the media.
According to him, the condition of the hospital does not befit its status as a regional referral facility, adding that “the hospital was not fit for a place where a patient had to be attended to, unfortunately.”
The hospital, originally commissioned in 1952, still operates from its old structures despite being upgraded in 2018 to serve as a secondary referral centre by the then New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration. In 2022, it was officially gazetted as a regional hospital.
However, hospital authorities admit that the current state of the facility falls far short of regional standards.
Mr. Divine Aki, Administrator of the hospital, explained that the facility was initially a municipal hospital before its elevation to regional status.
He noted that the hospital is grappling with significant infrastructure, equipment and human resource challenges.
He disclosed that the facility lacks an ICU and a dedicated surgical ward, forcing both surgical and medical cases to be managed in the same space.
With only four operating theatre beds, the hospital is overstretched due to the high volume of daily cases and referrals, including obstetrics and gynaecology emergencies.
He noted that poor infrastructure and limited facilities have discouraged some specialists from accepting postings to the hospital, further affecting service delivery.
Mr. Aki further revealed that the hospital does not have residential accommodation, compelling management to rent housing for doctors to ensure they remain on duty.
Appeal for intervention
The Paramount Chief stressed that the hospital’s strategic location along the Eastern Corridor Road makes it a critical healthcare hub, serving residents from the Volta, Oti and Northern Regions.
He said the Gbi Traditional Council has land readily available for the construction of a new regional hospital and called on key stakeholders — including the Member of Parliament (MP), the Municipal Chief Executive, the Regional Minister and the Minister of Health — to urgently intervene.
New Hospital
Meanwhile the MP, Thomas Worlanyo Tsekpo, has acknowledged the concerns raised by the traditional authorities.
In a Facebook post sighted by THE ARCHIVES responding to the Paramount Chief’s remarks, the MP stated: “I agree perfectly with Togbuiga Gabusu that Volta Regional Hospital in Hohoe is a death trap. Just a year in office, a lot has been done to get Hohoe a new hospital to save lives.”
While some stakeholders are advocating immediate renovation works to provide temporary relief, others are pushing for the construction of a completely new facility to meet the growing healthcare demands of the region.
