Impelled by this news, I embarked on a trip to the Catholic Hospital at Battor in the Volta Region to seek health care. Though the trip wasn’t eventful, I was a bit apprehensive because it was my first time visiting that part of Ghana and so I feared I may lose my way but thankfully, that didn’t happen.
Upon arrival, I got to see the doctor after a tediously slow process of documentation and a long wait. The doctor was very friendly and after a short period of consultation, pronounced a grave diagnosis of my condition and immediately put me on admission. I knew he didn’t mean to frighten me with the diagnosis but that didn’t assuage my trepidation. Moreover, I didn’t take any extra clothes because I didn’t anticipate I will be admitted but I didn’t demur to the admission because by then I was feeling so weak and so it was only prudent I comply with the
specialist.
Though the news of my diagnosis was unpleasant to take in at first, it later dawned on me that what I initially considered ominous actually turned out to be a life saver because the doctor later told me that if I hadn’t come at the time I did, it would have been a different story all together which would have most likely ended with my demise. I was really thankful!
However, I had some reservations chief among them was with the ward sanitation. Though I hadn’t seen the whole compound (or at least the male ward), I reasoned that if it be anything like Korle-Bu then it’ll surely be unsightly and decrepit. And boy was I glad to find out it wasn’t anything of the sort. Though the facilities were not state-of-the-art, they were far better than the average (that is in comparison with other public health facilities I have ever visited) hospitals/clinics. But while I was on admission I was relived to observe that almost every morning there were janitors who mobbed the wards and corridors clean.
Another commendable thing I observed was the kind treatment I received from the nurses at the ward. I had heard many horrid tales from different people who were ill treated by certain callous and unscrupulous nurses while they were on admission at certain public hospitals. To many, this stereotype of rude nurses has become an idée fix but I was glad my experience at the hospital helped shatter that notion. The nurses were so accommodating and patience.
During this period news emerged of a possible strike action by doctors in public health facilities if certain conditions were not met by government. Though I had by then had my corrective surgery, the news was nonetheless disturbing because it will mean there’ll be no doctors to monitor my recovery and also other patients too would be denied crucial health care and will result in the inevitable loss of life. Anyway, I was relieved to find that the strike does not apply to the Catholic Hospital because it’s a mission facility (correct me if I’m wrong). It made me appreciate even more the many benefits that the Christian faith (and religion in general) has brought to mankind. Anyway, it was reported in the news today that talks between the doctors and the government still remain inconclusive. I sincerely hope both parties make concessions so that doctors can resume work to save precious lives of our people.
I am glad to announce I’m recuperating well and hopefully will adjust my lifestyle to a healthier one so the condition does not recur. A word of advice though to my cherished friends: please do well to go for regular check-ups so that any hidden ailment will be diagnosed and please if you’ve been diagnosed with any ailment, do well to seek early treatment to avoid any dire consequences.
Oh the vicissitudes of life but I’m glad to be back from my unplanned hiatus!
SDG!!!
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