Trust Hospital shuts for 48 hours over COVID-19 cases

The main Trust Hospital at Osu in Accra is to temporarily shut this weekend for a disinfection exercise, following the confirmation of two cases of  coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infection recorded in the facility.

Consequently, the hospital will move its Outpatients Department treatment and emergency cases to its specialist hospital at Kuku Hill, Osu.

Work in both hospitals will, however, resume on Monday, May 11, 2020 after the disinfection exercise.

The Trust Mother & Child Hospital at Tiokor House, also at Osu, and all other branches of the Trust Hospital will operate without any restrictions to services.

Rationale

Speaking to the Daily Graphic, the Head of Public Relations at the hospital, Ms Afia Drah, explained that the confirmed cases were patients on admission at the hospital, adding that all information and the custody of the two patients had been transferred to the National COVID-19 Centre.

She said the disinfection exercise formed part of the hospital’s measures to mitigate the spread of any possible infections to health workers, patients and the public who frequented the hospital.

“With the confirmation cases, some areas of the facility have been exposed to the infection, and having the safety of our patients and staff, as well as the public, at heart, we wish to undertake this prompt disinfection to make it safe for all of us,” she emphasised.

No cause for alarm

Ms Drah noted that since the first recorded case of the COVID-19 in the country, the hospital had strictly adhered to the World Health Organisation’s (WHO’s) protocols prescribed for health facilities and, therefore, assured the public that the hospital was safe to be patronised.

She explained that in all Trust hospitals nationwide, strict hygiene protocols were observed and the staff had been provided with PPE and other medical supplies to ensure that the COVID-19 protocols were observed.

“This is the only time we are closing down our facility for two days, so we hope any inconvenience caused will be pardoned,” she said.

Other services

Ms Drah said the hospital had put several measures in place to ensure that people did not frequent the facility more often in this COVID-19 era, adding that “physical distancing protocols are adhered to strictly in the wards”.

She said the hospital had made available a call tele-medical helpline to allow people with minor health issues to speak to doctors to receive directives, instead of visiting the hospital.

The public relations head said the hospital had added a service for patients who needed refill of drugs to order prescribed medicines from the hospital’s pharmacy, to be delivered at a subsidised cost.

“These and many other measures are being put in place to ensure that we protect ourselves, our staff, as well as our clients and patients from the COVID-19 pandemic,” she added.

She advised the public to adhere to the protocols prescribed by the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service to remain safe in their homes if they had nothing to do in town.