Imagine a hospital where sick children are forced to share rooms with adults, putting their health and safety at risk. This is the grim reality at the Kasoa Polyclinic in Ghana’s Awutu Senya East Municipality, where the absence of a dedicated paediatric ward has sparked serious concerns among health officials and community leaders alike. But here’s where it gets even more alarming: nearly half of all patients admitted to this facility are children, yet they have no specialized space to receive the care they desperately need.
Serving a rapidly growing population of over 300,000 people—and drawing patients from neighboring districts like Awutu Senya West, Gomoa East, and Ga South—the Kasoa Polyclinic is already stretched to its limits. It’s also a critical referral center for motor accident victims in the area. Despite this heavy demand, the facility has just 40 beds, divided among male, female, and maternity wards. And this is the part most people miss: without a separate paediatric ward, children are often placed in the same wards as adults, a situation health professionals unanimously describe as unsafe and unsuitable for proper care.
Health authorities argue that this lack of dedicated space not only compromises best practices in paediatric care but also puts young lives at risk. Dr. Stanley Yaidoo, the Municipal Director of Health Services, emphasizes that the municipality’s booming population has long outpaced its healthcare infrastructure. The two primary public health facilities—Kasoa Polyclinic and the Mother and Child Hospital—together offer fewer than 100 beds. While the Mother and Child Hospital has a mere 10 beds for children, the Polyclinic has none, leaving families and healthcare providers in a constant state of crisis.
Here’s the controversial question: Is it fair to prioritize adult care over children’s needs in a community where nearly half the patients are under 18? Traditional leaders in the area have joined the chorus of voices urging the government to act swiftly. Their plea is clear: children deserve safer, more effective healthcare, and the current system is failing them.
In response to mounting pressure, authorities have begun constructing a 30-bed paediatric unit at the Kasoa Polyclinic—a step in the right direction, but one that raises another question: Is this enough to address the growing needs of the community? Seth Sabah Serwonoo Banini, the Municipal Chief Executive, assures the public that additional initiatives are underway to expand infrastructure and improve access to quality healthcare. But with the population continuing to surge, many wonder if these efforts will keep pace.
What do you think? Is the government doing enough to protect the health of its youngest citizens? Or is this a systemic issue that requires a more radical solution? Share your thoughts in the comments below—this is a conversation that needs your voice.
