By mid-morning, the outpatient department at the Kpandai District Hospital is already overflowing. Mothers cradle sick babies.
Elderly patients wait patiently on metal and wooden benches.
A nurse moves swiftly between wards, juggling folders and urgent calls.
Behind a theatre door, one man prepares for yet another procedure. He is the only doctor.
Brink of collapse
More than a decade after its elevation from a polyclinic to a district hospital in 2011, the facility remains overstretched, understaffed, and under-resourced.
What was meant to signal a transformation in healthcare access for residents of the Kpandai District has instead exposed deep structural gaps that continue to strain the system.
Upgrade without expansion
Originally established as a polyclinic, the facility was upgraded to district hospital status with the expectation of expanded services and improved access to quality care.
Front view of the Koandai District Hospital
The transition brought the posting of the hospital’s first medical doctor and an expansion of services to include inpatient care, emergency response, maternity services, and minor surgical procedures.
However, more than a decade later, many say the upgrade has remained largely in name only.
Despite its new status, there has been no significant expansion in infrastructure, equipment, or staff accommodation to match the hospital’s growing responsibilities.
Located in the heart of Kpandai, the facility remains the only major government referral centre in the district, serving thousands of residents, including farming communities and traders from surrounding areas.
Today, that system is stretched to its limits.
One doctor, an entire district
Serving as the only government hospital in the district, the facility operates with just one medical doctor — a situation health workers describe as unsustainable and risky.
Dr Abdul Aziz Hudu, the Medical Superintendent, is solely responsible for outpatient consultations, admissions, emergencies, referrals, and surgeries.
In his absence, essential services slow dramatically or grind to a halt.
“My absence sometimes brings work to a standstill,” he admits.
Despite the overwhelming pressure, Dr Hudu performs more than 30 surgeries a month — and in one instance carried out over 60 within a single month.
The workload, he says, has taken a toll on his health, leaving him with chronic back pain.
With Kpandai’s growing population and its status as a major agricultural hub, demand for health care has increased sharply.
Yet wards remain congested, office space is limited, and the theatre lacks the full complement of modern equipment needed to enhance surgical work.
The facility also faces shortages of diagnostic tools, beds, and essential supplies.
As a result, some patients must be referred to larger hospitals outside the district, often at high financial and emotional cost.
A drained and dwindling workforce
Beyond the lone doctor, the hospital grapples with severe staffing shortages.
Nurses and midwives routinely work extended shifts, sometimes up to 24 hours.
At the maternity unit — one of the busiest departments — midwives handle labour, postnatal care, newborn care, and theatre support simultaneously.
“The workload is too much,” a staff member said. “Fatigue and exhaustion are affecting morale.”
High staff turnover has compounded the crisis. Many health workers seek transfers to larger towns and cities in search of better conditions, while some posted to the district fail to report altogether.
Infrastructure and welfare gaps
The hospital also struggles with inadequate staff accommodation, limited office space, poor sanitation, security concerns, and insufficient toilet facilities.
There is also a shortage of casual workers, many of whom receive low remuneration.
Health workers say these challenges make retention difficult and further strain service delivery.
Call for urgent intervention
Responding to the concerns, the District Chief Executive, Haruna Abdul-Karim, acknowledged the gravity of the situation and appealed to the central government and the Ministry of Health for urgent support.
“Since assuming office, I have written to the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service requesting additional doctors for the district, but that has yet to materialise. We will continue to follow up and ensure that decisive action is taken to address these challenges,” he said.
He added that the District Assembly would embark on developmental projects to address the accommodation deficit and appealed to NGOs, corporate bodies, and donor partners to support the hospital.
Hope in Agenda 111
For residents of Kpandai, the government’s completion and furnishing of the stalled Agenda 111 hospital project would mark a turning point in addressing the district’s struggling healthcare system.
Many believe the new facility could significantly ease pressure on the current Kpandai District Hospital, which they say is barely coping despite the numerous challenges it faces.
Residents argue that completing the Agenda 111 project would not only expand access to quality health care but also attract more medical professionals to the district, reduce referrals, and improve emergency response.
Health observers warn that without urgent intervention — including the posting of additional doctors and nurses, provision of modern equipment, expansion of infrastructure, improved staff welfare, and the completion of the Agenda 111 project — healthcare delivery in Kpandai could deteriorate further.
More than a decade after its upgrade, the hospital remains the backbone of health care in the district.
But with one doctor and a fatigued workforce carrying the weight of an entire population, the system is stretched far beyond its limits.
Source:
www.graphic.com.gh