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COVID-19 cases drain cases of Effia Nkwanta Hospital
The Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital in the Western Region is using its internally generated funds (IGF) to monitor COVID-19 patients who are quarantined or self-isolated in their respective homes.
This move has resulted in a big drain in the hospital’s coffers.
The Medical Director, Dr. Joseph Yambil disclosed this to our reporter who visisted the hospital to find out some of the challenges confronting the staff who are the frontline workers in the fight against the deadly Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19), and the number of cases so far recorded.
He said the fuelling of vehicles at the health facility to enable the nurse to travel and check on the patients was becoming too much because the Regional Hospital depended on its internally generated funds (IGF) to monitor these patients.
The Medical Director has ,therefore, appealed to benevolent institutions, Non- Governmental Organisations into health and the COVID-19 Fund to assist ENRH to continue to fight the pandemic.
He said that the hospital last year had to refer very severe cases to Accra but managed the less severe cases at home.
He lauded GIZ, a German organisation which came to assist the hospital at the Communicable Disease Unit (CDU) referred to as Intensive Care Unit (ICU) which made it possible for the hospital to admit COVID-19 cases in the later part of 2020.
Dr. Tambil disclosed that the OPD from January to March this year recorded 314 COVID-19 cases out of a total of 372 cases reported at the hospital.
He gave the breakdown as follows : January 136 cases, February 102 and March 76 cases at the OPD.
He said the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) where COVID-19 patients were admitted also recorded 22 cases in January, February 20 and March 16 cases thus bringing the total COVID-19 cases recorded between January and March to 372.
He said the OPD cases were people on self-isolation or those who had quarantined themselves at their various homes but were religiously monitored by the health officials
He said the second wave saw the numbers going up in early January 2021 where the CDU admitted 22 patients, lost three and discharged 19 while 20 patients were recorded at the ICU and five lost their lives.
He said as of March 22, 2021, 16 patients were admitted and two died adding “no case has been referred to Accra this time round except a corporate client whose company requested for a transfer to South Africa where the mother company is”.
Dr Tambil said the hospital’s biggest challenge was how to get enough resources to manage the ICU as patients had to be fed well round the clock and that since they started admitting COVID-19 patients no pesewa had been given to support the fight against the disease.
The Medical Director said the internally generated funds and other finances were far stretched as such corporate institutions should support the health facility in terms of PPEs, consumables and other medications.
Photo 0071 shows Dr Joseph Tambil, Medical Director of Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital.
From Peter Gbambila, Effia Nkwanta
A 30-year-old man has been sentenced to 25 years imprisonment with hard labour by the Bekwai Circuit Court for his role in a 2022 robbery at a mining site at Manso Akwasiso in the Ashanti South Region.
The convict, Dominic Ofori, also known as Fanta, was arrested on 16th February 2026 after years on the run. He pleaded guilty before the Bekwai Circuit Court to robbery contrary to Section 149 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 Act 29, and was accordingly sentenced to 25 years imprisonment with hard labour.
On March 20, 2022, the Manso Adubia District Police received intelligence that a group of armed men from Manso Abodom were planning to attack a mining site at Manso Akwasiso to rob the owner of gold concentrate. Acting on the information, police mounted a coordinated operation and laid an ambush at the site.
At about 5:30 pm the same day, four-armed men arrived at the site, fired indiscriminately, and robbed the miners of their gold concentrate. The police team on surveillance intervened, resulting in an exchange of gunfire.
Three of the suspects, Abu Abubakar, Musah Latif, and Gideon Takyi, sustained gunshot wounds and were pronounced dead on arrival at St Martins Catholic Hospital at Agroyesum. Dominic Ofori escaped at the time but was later arrested and put before the court.
The Ashanti South Regional Police Command has assured the public of its continued commitment to combating violent crimes and bringing offenders to justice.
The Ashanti Regional Police Command has arrested 45-year-old Isaac Boafo, also known as “Duabo King,” for allegedly publishing false news intended to cause fear and panic.
Police said the arrest follows a viral TikTok video in which Boafo claimed that four officers at the Central Police Station in Kumasi engaged in inappropriate conduct with commercial sex workers during night patrols in Asafo.
Officers from the Police Intelligence Directorate (Ashanti Region) apprehended Boafo after receiving intelligence about the video.
During questioning, he admitted to creating the video to attract views and engagement online, and acknowledged that he could not prove the allegations.
Boafo also admitted making comments about the President of the Republic for content purposes and could not defend those statements.
He has been formally charged and is in detention as investigations continue.
The Ashanti Regional Police have warned the public against publishing or sharing false information on social media, noting that such acts can cause fear, panic, and damage reputations.
They said anyone found engaging in similar conduct will face legal action.
By: Jacob Aggrey
