Authorities of the Wenchi Methodist Senior High School are raising a total of GHC32,000 to sponsor an emergency spinal surgery for one of its teachers and one student who were among the several others injured in last Sunday’s Kintampo Waterfalls disaster.
The geography teacher is in critical condition at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi where he is receiving treatment. He is likely to paralysed if not operated upon immediately.
Teachers of the school have managed to raise GHC5,000 as seed capital for the surgery. The teacher needs GHC29,000 while the student requires GHC3,000 to undergo a bone surgery also at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital. A late afternoon rainstorm March 19 caused trees atop the famous waterfalls to fall to the ground killing 18 people, mostly students from the Wenchi Methodist Senior High School who were swimming in the water at the moment. One other person died later in a hospital. A total of 15 students of the school died in the tragic accident which has led to the indefinite closure of the waterfall. Appeal for funds.
The school administration and the Parent Teacher Association of the school led by its chairman, Kwadwo Gyimadu, have consequently appealed to the government and philanthropists to help them raise the amount to enable the teacher and the student undergo the surgery.He said three other students who are receiving treatment at Wenchi Methodist Hospital need financial assistance to enable them buy drugs that are not available at the hospital. Assistant headmaster in charge of academics, Oti Akenten said two of their female students have also been hospitalized at the Sunyani Regional Hospital. He also pleaded for more financial support for the victims. Mr Oti Akenten said the school has completely been devastated by the incident but said normal classes have now resumed At the Wenchi Methodist Hospital, Dr Sibirie Bullu said the three students on admission at the facility are responding to treatment.
By Johnson Kofi Takyi