July 21, 2021
By Dadson A. Musa
After loss of lives in Bo, especially in the government hospital there was a prompt response by the minister in charge, Austin Demby. He paid a visit to the hospital with his team.
They did some needs assessment and the much faulted, medical superintendent was replaced.
Dr. Sao K. Amara who is a surgeon specialist has taken over as medical superintendent at the Bo government hospital which is a referral hospital for the southern province.
It helps with cases from the other three districts of Moyamba, Pujehun and Bonthe. It is sad to note that there are only nine trained and qualified medical doctors for a referral hospital. And the alarming death rates which was appalling was reportedly due in part to the late arrival of patients
Some deaths according to Dr. Sao K. Amara were due to the failure of some peripheral clinics in promptly administering oxygen to patients in desperate circumstances. By the time patients are brought in they are dead-on-arrival.
The personnel at the hospital are also working under strenuous conditions which are not helping their work. The irregular supply of water and electricity for a hospital in the second city of the country calls for prompt action. The equipment for work is also in short supply. From what this medium gathered some good number of trained and qualified medical practitioners fled the country for greener pastures. There is need therefore for government to do more so that our health personnel are motivated to save precious lives in this country. On the free health care drugs, the supplies are coming in but sometimes they come late.
Dr. Sao Amara assured strict monitoring and supervision as a pharmacist and store keeper are in charge of the drugs. He debunked claims that there is only one oxygen tank in the hospital. The hospital has up to ten oxygen tanks and the minister on his visit promised more. With the new team, there are indications that things are going to change for the better at the Bo government hospital.