The Director of the Kumba District Hospital, Dr. Zachs Ebongo Nanje, has lamented that the institution is suffering from serious shortage of staff and infrastructure to handle the thousands of patients that seek treatment at the facility.

Ebongo made the observation on February 6, while receiving New Year wishes from senior and management staff of the hospital.

According to the Director, the number of consults annually at the health facility rose from 25,000 in 2013, to over 33,000 in 2014.

He explained that, over 5,000 additional patients consulted only add to the plea for Government to pay attention to the annual changes that take place within the facility.

The ophthalmologist stated that service delivery to the public is partially stifled due to the pressure from the huge number of people who consult annually.

The figures, he maintained greatly out-number the ratio of workers required. On infrastructural constraints, Ebongo appreciated the minimal changes that have taken place within the facility in the last year, thanks to Government’s effort, but maintained that much more could be done for the good of the society.

The Director stated that upgrading the status of the facility into a regional hospital could play the magic, given that, such changes come along with financial and material benefits.

Revisiting the threat to his life over the demarcation of the hospital land, the health administrator declined to say if his life was no longer at risk, given that the facility is now fenced.

He told reporters that, for now, all the necessary administrative and security dispositions were already in place, regarding his security and the hospital land.

Ebongo disclosed that the authorities concerned took necessary actions that have brought the situation under control. He disclosed that, the successes the hospital achieved in 2014, was thanks to team-work from the highest to the lowest staff.

Earlier on, one of the senior staff, Dr. Asonganyi, applauded the changes that have taken place in the facility since Ebongo became Director.

According to Asonganyi, almost every corner and ward of the hospital has felt the impact of the new team managing the hospital. Asonganyi took delight in the team spirit that has seen wards remain clean and up-to-standard in 2014.

He saluted the Ebongo-led team for waging a successful fight against corruption in the hospital, especially the sale of drugs to patients by individual nurses.

In the year 2014, the Kumba District Hospital recorded the highest number of patient consultations in the Southwest Region.