The Suhum Government Hospital in the Eastern Region is grappling with a severe shortage of beds in its children’s ward, leading to a crisis for families with young patients.
The situation, worsened by overcrowding, has left children and pregnant women receiving medical care on mattresses laid on the floor.
However, a visit from the ‘Love Without Walls’ NGO, led by Dr. Hartford Dawson, brings hope to the beleaguered hospital.
Samuel Ghartey Frempong, the Administrator of Suhum Government Hospital, highlighted the urgency of the situation.
He said “Presently, the Suhum Government Hospital kids ward, I think the capacity is very low. We do get a lot of patients, and you can’t send patients away, so we have to provide mattresses for them to be on the floor and a host of others.”
In response to the hospital’s dire need for assistance, Dr. Hartford Dawson, founder of ‘Love Without Walls,’ has taken on a mission to address the issue.
Dr. Dawson’s journey began in 2014 when he visited Suhum on a missionary trip. It was during this visit that he first witnessed the overcrowding and lack of beds in the children’s ward.
“In 2014, I came here on a missionary trip, and I visited the children’s ward, and my heart really broke because there weren’t enough beds. I think a total of eighteen be
ds, and I remember saying if I got $500 million, I’d build them a hospital, but in fact, I didn’t have, and I still don’t have,” he recalled.
Dr. Dawson shared how this heartbreaking experience led to a personal transformation.
After returning to the United States, he faced a health scare that left him bedridden for nearly two months.
Reflecting on this difficult time, he said, “I went back to the US very sick, fifty-nine days after leaving, I was actually on my sick bed, close to my death. I didn’t think I was going to make it. I felt that it was a pain I had to feel for the people of Suhum so that I could get them a hospital.”
As he recovered, Dr. Dawson found himself inspired to take action.
He conceived the idea of founding ‘Love Without Walls,’ a non-profit organization dedicated to serving the people of Suhum without prejudice or discrimination.
“I started to cry, and I heard the voice; name it ‘Love Without Walls’ because we need to love people like God loves people, love them without prejudice or colour or beliefs,” he explained.
The organization’s efforts led to the groundbreaking of a 150-bed children’s hospital in Suhum in 2016.
The facility, which is now 80% complete, is expected to include specialized services such as critical care, neonatal services, and a full pharmacy.
Dr. Dawson emphasized the importance of completing the hospital, with only $30,000 needed to finish the structure.
He made a public appeal for donations, stating, “It is about 80 percent complete right now, so in terms of the structure itself, it’ll be finished in a couple of months. We do need about $30,000 to finish the structure, so we’re appealing to persons who want to donate to do that at Lovewithoutwalls.org.”
Obed Sowa, from the construction firm KODAN Image Limited, shared insights into the hospital’s design, which includes a 75-bed ward on the ground floor and a second 75-bed ward on the upper floor.
“Currently, the down floor is a 75-bed, and the top design will also be another 75-bed because the client was looking at a 150-bed hospital,” Sowa said.
During his visit to Suhum, Dr. Dawson met with the leadership of the Suhum Government Hospital and local traditional authorities to discuss the hospital’s progress and the importance of community support.
Osabarima Ayeh Kofi, the Chief of Suhum, expressed satisfaction with the ongoing project and called on the citizens of Suhum to contribute to the cause.
“We are satisfied with the level of progress, and we appeal to benevolent individuals and groups, especially citizens of Suhum, to support such a worthy cause,” the Chief stated.
With the hospital’s new facility set to open in 2026, both the Suhum Government Hospital and the local community are optimistic that the expanded services will alleviate the burden on the current facility, particularly for vulnerable patients like children and pregnant women.
The ongoing support from ‘Love Without Walls’ offers a glimmer of hope as the Municipality waits for the much-needed improvement in healthcare infrastructure.
-BY Daniel Bampoe
