Port health facility deteriorates

Moses Dotsey Aklorbortu, Takoradi
March 25, 2008

THE Takoradi Port Health Facility is in a state of disrepair. Since its establishment in 1928, the facility has not seen any rehabilitation.
The windows and doors to some of the rooms are broken while many of the windows have no louvres enabling dust and rainwater to flow freely into the rooms.
The wiring system which was done in 1928 is weak as such anyone who comes into contact with the walls receive an electric shock anytime it rains.
Workers at the facility have described conditions under which they operate as very bad and called for urgent action to improve upon the facilities. They said apart from the broken windows and doors, whenever there was a storm, they were compelled to move into the corners of the room to avoid being drenched because of the lack of windows.
“Sometimes by the time we get to the office the next day after a heavy rain, the rooms would be full of water which we have to mop before we can work.
“During the dry season the wind blows dust into the offices. By the time we close from work the offices are already dirty,” they lamented. The Ministry of Health is responsible for the centre and the centre itself does not undertake any extra duties to generate income internally. Most of its activities are vaccinations against yellow fever.
Another problem the centre faces is the movement of officers. Sometimes the ship docks at about 2a.m. and officers have to be moved there to help the crew go through the vaccination process very late in the night at the peril of ther lives.
The facility plays a very important role in the enforcement of international safety regulations by ensuring that the crew of any ship that docks at the sport are well vaccinated against communicable diseases such as yellow fever. It also ensures that those aboard did not bring into the country diseases that could easily be transmitted to Ghanaians.