HIV patients dominate Korle-bu hospital ward

The number of HIV patients is said to be dominating the infectious diseases ward of the Fevers Unit at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.

According to a Senior Nursing Officer, the ward currently has 12 HIV patients and it takes an average of two months for treatment.

Patients that visit the ward are persons affected with polio, rabies, chicken pox, tetanus and measles.

“So far HIV patients are dominating the ward,” Mrs Evelyn Wilson, Principal Nursing Officer at the hospital’s Fevers Unit said today June 22, 2013 when the Rotaract Club of Ring Road Central (RRC) refurbished the Unit.

Mrs Wilson said that some of the patients came to the Unit through referrals from the major hospitals in the capital such as Ridge Hospital, 37 Military Hospital, Achimota Hospital among others.

She however, noted that their family members visit them because stigmatization against these patients has been reduced due the increased sensitization and education.

The senior nurse added that the nurses at the Unit have also been helpful in taking care of the patients.

Rotaract RRC’s refurbishment project which was worth GH¢4,800 included painting the entire Unit building, change of the wire mesh, donation of portrait pictures for the counseling rooms and changing the lighting system of the Unit with energy-saving bulbs.

President of the Club, Kwadwo Asamoah-Gyeke told ghanabusinessnews.com that the project aims to serve the society and also to give a facelift to the Fevers Unit which seems to have been neglected.

“We decided to give a facelift to the outward appearance of the ward by painting the building,” Mr Asamoah said.

Members of the Club were taken to the various wards to interact with some of the HIV patients. It was noticed that most of them found it difficult to communicate.

The Club also donated some sets of mosquito nets to the Unit.

By Ekow Quandzie