The Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department at the National Referral Hospital (NRH) has officially entered Emergency Mode on August 12 after a structural safety threat forced the closure of the Labour Ward.
The NRH Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department will enter Emergency Mode due to ongoing renovations in the Labour Ward. The ceiling in the Labour Ward is at immediate risk of collapse, posing significant safety concerns for both patients and staff.
As a result, Emergency Mode has been implemented, primarily due to limited bed space. Over the weekend, the Acute Postnatal Ward will be cleared to allow for the installation of partitions, which will transform the Acute Postnatal Ward into a temporary Labour Ward. This temporary arrangement is necessary to ensure privacy for delivery beds.
Please note that this situation will impact the services offered by the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department. Additionally, due to the limited space in these temporary wards, there is an increased risk of infection. Therefore, Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) measures will be followed to the best extent possible, though they may be suboptimal in these circumstances. To help manage overcrowding and ensure safety, relatives will be restricted from entering the wards.
Antenatal mothers and their families will be supervised by nurses and security personnel under this new arrangement. We kindly ask that antenatal mothers bring only one bag when coming into labour due to limited space.
Looking ahead, the NRH is planning a new Maternity complex, which will include a newly designed facility to better meet the medical and healthcare needs of women, mothers, and girls.
We appreciate your understanding and cooperation during this challenging time.
