“I’d like to start a new series called My Hospital Experience that chronicles people’s hospital experiences – what they go through in accessing health care in Ghanaian hospitals.” Before his death, my late boss told the JoyNews team.
He was moved by the numerous stories from colleagues, family, and citizens about the treatment they received at the hands of those who had taken an oath to care for the sick.
Elvis Kwashie, may his soul rest in peace, had a strong desire and felt obligated to provide a platform for citizens to share their experiences from our healthcare centres in order to effect change.
So here is my hospital experience.
I’ve had my fair share of frustrations, mistreatment, and rudeness at various government facilities, but never felt so disrespected as I did recently at the 37 Military Hospital’s E.N.T Department. In 2009, I first reported severe headaches and difficulty breathing through my left nose, among other symptoms, to the same hospital. The doctor who saw me, whose name I will not reveal, diagnosed a nasal polyp, prescribed antibiotics, and suggested surgery if it did not clear up. It cleared, or so it seemed.
The same symptoms reappeared from time to time and became more severe in 2019, and this time, with a little assistance from my CEO, it was simple to see another doctor in the same department. The doctor, whose name has been withheld yet again, made the same diagnosis, ordered a CT scan, and prescribed antibiotics. She suggested surgery, but the growth vanished after the medication, only to reappear in 2022. I went to the department and was assigned to a doctor, which is where the story starts.
I arrived at the hospital before 7:30 a.m. on December 19 and was among the first 10 people in line, but I didn’t see Dr. Darko until about 3 p.m. When she asked what was wrong, I told her I had sinusitis. She drilled me with questions, including why I hadn’t seen a doctor sooner. I explained my situation, and she prescribed two nasal drops, Cipro, and asked me to return in one month with the old CT scan report.
When I returned in January, I was told that the doctors were unavailable because it was a theatre day.
The nurse at the OPD gave me two options: see someone in the treatment room or return the next day if I was dissatisfied with the service. I met Captain Oteng, who immediately instructed me to have another CT scan done because I couldn’t find the old one and to bring the report to any doctor who was available as soon as it was completed.
I went for the scan but was hesitant to return because I was dissatisfied with the back and forth and the long waiting times. After speaking with The Multimedia Health Insurance Provider about assisting with a hospital change, they directed me to see Mr. Afari at 37 Military Hospital for assistance, and if I am still not satisfied, they would recommend another hospital.
This occurred on February 13. I was number nine in line and waited nearly 8 hours to see Dr. Darko. Dr. Darko and Dr. Obeng were in the consulting room, as was common practice. They discussed the scan results, asked that I continue using the nasal drops, and asked that I return in two weeks so that they could consult with the specialist/consultant. At this point, I gave up.
A nurse recommended that I exhaust all options for quick treatment and relief from nasal congestion and dripping.
She requested that I speak with Captain Oteng, who forwarded my report to Dr. Obeng. Dr. Obeng, Dr. Darko, and Captain all agreed that I should keep using the nasal drops, add douching with warm water, salt, and soda, and return on March 13 to see the Consultant Dr. Sally.
I arrived early as usual and informed the Senior Nursing Officer (SNO) that I was billed to see Dr. Sally and was asked to wait. She arrived a little later, and my observation or assumption was that someone had to persuade her to see me because I didn’t have a direct appointment.
Dr. Darko noticed me and took my scan report to her while she was seeing patients with appointments and doctors consulting with her on some of their cases. Dr. Sally then left the room.
I never had the opportunity to meet her. She had requested that I be scheduled for surgery in April, I was told. Dr. Darko conferred with her assistant and Dr. Obeng before scheduling me for April 6. I went through the anesthesia procedures and finished on April 3. When I returned to the department to give them an update and to find out what time to report to the hospital, which ward to report to, and how much it would cost, I received the shocking news. Dr. Sally is on vacation. Oh, what a letdown, I felt so disappointed.
Someone at the OPD, WO Nyarko, offered to call her to inquire about the next steps, and to my surprise, she requested that they inform me that she is on leave for two months. I can wait if I want, or she can have any of the doctors refer me to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.
I informed the SNO that I needed time to process and reflect on this. Here are some of the thoughts that crossed my mind:
1. Did she know she’d be on leave when she requested that I be scheduled for surgery?
2. Did she go through her list of patients scheduled for surgery and notify them of the change in plans?
3. Am I the only one being treated in this manner?
4. Is it normal for doctors to go on leave unexpectedly, or was this planned?
5. And, if it was planned, why did she request that I have surgery?
Again I asked myself if there were any handing over notes.
I couldn’t decide whether to laugh or cry. I was on the verge of hysteria, but I kept my cool and left the hospital disappointed.
Because I am her patient, no doctor in the department is currently willing to help. This reminded me of a time when I was in pain and crying exactly 8 years ago. My brother-in-law drove me to the same hospital, and the orderly who wheeled me to the medical emergency told me to cry louder or no one would attend to me.
The doctor on duty gave me an injection, they asked my husband who came later to buy two big normal saline drips.
They took blood samples and asked him to send the samples to the lab. He went twice, there was nobody to receive the blood.
I sat on the metal chair at the reception for the whole period I was there.
The drip never went through when they set it up and after hours of sitting, my husband asked what they were treating me for.
The doctor said the medicine he gave was for ulcer patients so he guessed I was suffering from ulcer.
He got upset and asked them to discharge me. Who is in charge? Is that how patients are treated all the time? I need answers. Not all of us can patronise private hospitals and the majority of us who patronise government hospitals need to be respected and treated fairly and with dignity.