The Medical Director of the Winneba Trauma and Specialist Hospital has been temporarily relieved of his duties pending conclusion of an investigation.
A committee has been established by the Ghana Health Service (GHS) to investigate the matter.
The committee has one month to submit its report.
This follows allegations of the abandonment of a patient in a bush at Gomoa Ojobi in the Central Region leading to her death.
The video of the distasteful action went viral on Thursday, June 13, showing a woman wrapped in sheets and left in a bush with a wheelchair by her side.
Per information, the woman was dumped in the bush by an ambulance from the Trauma and Specialist Hospital in Winneba.
A statement signed by The GHS’ Director-General, Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye in a letter updating the Minister of Health on the incident on Friday, June 14, said the service’s move was “to ensure credibility and unfettered access to all relevant information, the Medical Director has temporarily been relieved of his post pending the outcome of the investigation.”
He assured that the appropriate action would be taken at the end of the enquiry to ensure that any persons connected with the unfortunate incident were brought to book.
Probe
The Ghana Health Service has earlier said it has started investigations into the alleged abandonment of the patient in a bush at Gomoa Ojobi in the Central Region.
This follow viral information on Thursday, June 13, with a video in circulation showing a woman wrapped in sheets and left in a bush.
According to information, the woman was dumped in the bush by an ambulance of the Trauma and Specialist Hospital in Winneba.
A statement signed by GHS’ Director-General, Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, on Friday, June 14, said investigations have commenced to “establish the authenticity or otherwise of the story in line with the existing practices in the public service to enable it to take appropriate action(s).”
The statement also urged patience while attempts are made to authenticate the incident.
Below is the full statement.
RE: PATIENT ALLEGEDLY ABANDONED IN A BUSH AT GOMOA OJOBI
The attention of leadership of the Ghana Health Service has been drawn to a media story about a patient allegedly abandoned in a bush at Gomoa Ojobi in the Central Region. According to the story, it is alleged that the said patient was on admission at the Trauma and Specialist Hospital in Winneba and after her relatives had failed to show up, she was conveyed in the hospital’s ambulance and left in a wheelchair at Ojobi where she claimed to be her hometown, and was later found dead.
The Service upon receiving this disturbing news, has initiated investigations into the matter to establish the authenticity or otherwise of the story in line with the existing practices in the public service to enable it take appropriate action(s).
The Service wishes to appeal to the general public to be patient as anyone found to be connected with this unfortunate incident will be severely dealt in accordance with provisions of the Service’s Code of Conduct.
By Vincent Kubi