Residents of Dambai and surrounding communities have raised concerns over mounting pressure on the local health centre, citing inadequate infrastructure and staffing.
Health workers warn that the situation is affecting service delivery.
For many residents, accessing healthcare has become increasingly difficult, with long waiting times and frequent referrals to facilities far from home.
What should be a straightforward visit to a nearby health facility often turns into a race against time, as limited infrastructure and staffing gaps continue to constrain the Dambai Health Centre’s ability to deliver critical services.
The growing population and increasing demand for care have far outpaced the centre’s capacity, exposing deep cracks in a system that many depend on as their first point of call.
The absence of critical support systems, such as recovery rooms and adequate diagnostic services, further complicates healthcare delivery, leaving staff to improvise under challenging conditions.
Medical Superintendent at the Dambai Health Center, Dr. Ato Thompson, indicated that the facility requires more support to effectively manage cases.
“We need more instruments. The ones we have are for CS and they are just two set of instruments which we normally have to strike a balance,” he bemoaned.
He noted the absence of a recovery room in the theatre, which is essential for monitoring patients after surgery, and called for increased staffing at the unit.
A Senior Biomedical Scientist at the centre, Francis Dusi, also highlighted the need for expanded infrastructure to improve service delivery. He stressed that the lack of some essential services continues to put the facility at a disadvantage.
The situation is particularly dire at the maternity unit, where a shortage of beds has forced expectant mothers to seek care elsewhere, often outside the region.
Sarah Anani, who is in charge of the unit, revealed that some patients are attended to on benches due to the lack of beds, and appealed to authorities for urgent intervention.
Head of Administration at the Dambai Health Centre, John Tei Mensah, emphasized the need for a comprehensive infrastructure upgrade to meet the increasing demand for healthcare services.
He also reiterated the urgent need for additional staff to effectively manage cases, calling on government and relevant agencies to step in and address the challenges.
