S/R: Yapei Polyclinic laments lack of snake antivenoms, infrastructure

Despite the upgrade of Yapei Polyclinic in the Central Gonja District of the Savannah Region from a health centre to a polyclinic a few months ago, the facility is deprived of basic amenities and medicines, stalling efficient health service delivery.

Principal Administrative Manager of the polyclinic, Salifu Habib, told The Sikaman Times they have been battling with major cases of snake bites within Yapei, and they always refer patients to the Tamale Teaching Hospital due to the lack of snake antivenoms in the facility.

He revealed that although they usually request the snake antivenoms from the regional medical stores through the district health directorate, they are unable to receive them due to the unavailability of the medicines or a lack of funds to pay for them.

Salifu also bemoaned the lack of office space for staff within the facility.

“I am currently sharing my office with both the medical doctor and the accountant, which is due to the lack of office space in the facility,” he lamented.

He noted that they have been forced to convert one of the offices, which was still under construction, into a mini theatre thanks to the unit health committee in the area.

Salifu further stated that they lack various facilities, such as a maternity ward, a children’s and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) ward, and other necessary facilities to serve the people of Yapei and its environs.

“In the case of transporting referral cases to Tamale Teaching Hospital, the facility mostly depends on public transport, and in some cases, the administrator uses his car to transport patients to the hospital,” he added.

A snake bite victim speaks
Jakpa Suro, a survivor of a snake bite, told The Sikaman Times’ Malik Gazari that he was bitten by a snake on a friend’s farm when he joined him to help harvest farm produce on his right hand.

According to him, he was first rushed to the Yapei Polyclinic, where they could not offer him the antivenoms, so they referred him to the Tamale Teaching Hospital.

“On our way to Tamale, we stopped at Sankpala Health Centre, where we were lucky to receive antivenoms.”

He said they later requested more antivenoms for treatment, but the facility was short of the medicine, following which his family decided to purchase the medicine from a private facility at a high-rated cost of almost GHC 1,700.

Jakpa Suro, on behalf of the community, appealed to authorities for more supplies of snake antivenom, as it is now a season where many residents are being bitten by snakes.

An elder of the Yapei Community, Alhaji Nasamu Attah, said the polyclinic used to have an ambulance but is now faulty and grounded after several years.

He was of the view that the facility really needed a lot of attention as it has been upgraded to the status of a polyclinic.

“We are pleading with the government, stakeholders, and other benevolent organisations to come to their [the polyclinic’s] aid,” he said.