Power supply to LEKMA Hospital was interrupted on Tuesday, July 16, 2024, due to unpaid bills but has been restored.
Due to the situation, on Wednesday, July 17, 2024, the hospital was entirely dependent on emergency generators, but power was restored to the health facility following the intervention of local Member of Parliament.
The incident highlighted concerns over funding to cover the hospital’s operational costs. The Ministry of Health issued a statement in March to allay fears about possible power outages at 91 health facilities nationwide.
Nevertheless, staff and patients at LEKMA Hospital faced their worst fears when their power supply was cut off due to debts of about 3 million cedis.
The hospital tried to repay the debt in installments, but the Tessier office of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) claimed the payments were not enough to cover the required amount. The power outage brought the hospital’s operations to a near halt, putting patient care at serious risk.
According to hospital officials, relying on generators, which cost over 20,000 cedis per day, proved unsustainable as the hospital’s resources were rapidly depleting. Staff were advised to reduce electricity consumption in non-essential areas and open windows to ventilate.
Power was restored on Thursday morning after Senator Benjamin Ike intervened and began negotiations with the Tessier office of ECG. Ike said he asked for the power to be restored, emphasizing the seriousness of the situation in terms of human lives.
“We were there for about 30 minutes, and we were told they would not reconnect the power until we paid the bill. We were told they owed us about 3 million Ghana cedis.”
“After speaking with the manager, he even said it was beyond his capacity. So he called the regional director, and he said that is their policy. And I told him that this is a matter of human life, and if someone dies, there is nothing we can do.” I got on my knees. It was very important, he added.
The hospital was running on power from a backup generator, so many windows were open.
Ike also called on hospital management to review the facility’s metering system to reduce high electricity bills. “They also struggle to pay their monthly bills. They need to be given dedicated funds to manage their debts and focus on their current bills. Separate meters will help contain costs,” he added.
Lekma Hospital was built by the Chinese government in 2010 as a symbol of friendship between the two countries and serves residents of Lezokku-Kroir district.
