The Medical and Dental Council in collaboration with the police has apprehended 12 persons they suspect to be quack dentists as well as six persons suspected to be quack doctors.
The Acting Registrar of the Medical and Dental Council, Dr. Divine Banyubala at a news conference on Wednesday, said the suspects were arrested separately at various locations in the country in the course of the year.
He said they were operating illegally in Accra, Dormaa Ahenkro in the Dormaa Central Municipality of the Bono Region, Assin Adadientem in the Assin South District of the Central Region, Dormaa Babianiha and Ashaiman.
He said a woman and her baby died while receiving treatment from one of the quack doctors.
Those who were arrested, according to Dr. Banyubala included Osei Hayford who was arrested at O.B Savior Clinic at Dormaa Ahenkro; Daniel Adjei at Ohenewaa Memorial Clinic also at Dormaa Ahenkro; Samuel Lanquaye Snr and Alberta Lamiorkor at Assin Adadientem Number 2; Prince Tutu at St. Kyeade Clinic at Dormaa Babianiha and Paul Amoanoo of Royal Medi-Herb Clinic at Ashaiman – Zenu Atadeka.
The Acting Registrar said the 12 quack dentists were arrested while carrying out their illegal activities at East Legon and Asylum Down in Accra.
He said on Teusday, June 8, 2021, one of the suspects was arrested at a facility named Laser Smile Teeth Whitening Centre at East Legon in Accra.
“During our investigations, it was established that the scope of services rendered were regulated dental services and the suspects did not possess the technical competence and the requisite licences to lawfully provide those services,” Dr. Banyubala said.
He continued that the facility was closed down on account of public health, safety and well-being, but said management has been given the opportunity to recruit qualified dental practitioners to provide quality and safe dental services in accordance with the health sector’s regulatory requirements.
Giving an account on how the six suspected quack doctors operated, Dr. Banyubala said Osei Bonsu Hayford was discovered to be practicing with no formal training, or licence and he doubles as owner of that facility.
On Samuel Lanquaye and Alberta Lamiorkor, the Acting Registrar said both were operating without formal training in medicine.
He said Prince Tutu had also forged a Medical and Dental Council’s permanent licence and physician assistant licences which he was working with.
“The suspect also forged a document purported to be a certificate from Shenqang Medical College in China in 2018 with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery Degree and also forged a document purporting to be a laboratory technician which he had used it to work at various private health facilities within Accra,” he said.
Dr. Banyubala said the activities of Paul Amoanoo of Royal Medi-Herb Clinic of Ashaiman led to the death of a mother and her newborn baby.
“Our investigations indicated that the clinic at the time of the incident was being operated by the suspect when the victim identified as Madam Lucy, reported at the clinic to be delivered of a baby,” he said, adding “the victim reportedly gave birth to a baby boy but was bleeding profusely after birth.”
He said Lucy was later transferred to the Trinity Community Hospital where she was pronounced dead.
By Linda Tenyah-Ayettey