10-day-old baby dies in a suspected case of medical negligence at KNUST Hospital

A devastating incident occurred at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) Hospital in Kumasi as a 10-day-old baby named Faraj Mohammed passed away during a male circumcision procedure, raising suspicions of medical negligence.

According to a report by Myjoyonline.com, the parents of the baby, Mohammed Jamal and Halimatu Adams, aged 36 and 27, respectively, brought their son to the hospital for a routine circumcision on April 3.

“The baby was 10 days old, so we decided to send him to the hospital for circumcision. While at the hospital, they showed us the theatre. We met a nurse who examined the baby, undressed him and took off his diapers, and told us everything was okay,” Mr Jamal was quoted in the report.

The procedure took a tragic turn when the baby suffered a cardiac arrest during the surgery and succumbed to it a few minutes later while under the care of the medical team.

The distraught parents recounted their heartbreaking experience as they heard their baby's cries for the last time from the waiting area of the theatre.

The hospital staff rushed in, further fueling their anxieties. The lack of clear communication about the baby's condition added to their distress.

Halimatu Adams described the agonizing wait for news about her son and sensed that something terrible had happened.

“I became restless a few minutes later. A woman who spoke to me in Hausa tried to calm me down but it was impossible. I felt like attending nature’s call.”Halimatu Adams

The hospital asked the couple to obtain a hospital attendance card for the baby's admission, but shortly after, an ambulance was summoned to transport Faraj Mohammed to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital for additional treatment.

Breaking the news of their baby's death to the grieving parents was heart-rending, leaving them traumatized.

“I didn’t allow the doctor to finish what he was saying…I told him I think my child was dead…I felt something bad had happened to my son,” Halimatu recounted to JoyNews.

Mr. Jamal expressed the indescribable pain they are going through, emphasizing the difficulty of focusing, especially at night when they hear their baby's cries echoing in their minds.

As Muslims, having a male child is a cherished honor for the parents, making this loss even more devastating for Mrs. Jamal, who wished to have all male children.

“The psychological pains, the trauma that you go through in the night when you hear the cry of the baby,” Mr, Jamal

Though blessed with a two-year-old daughter from their three-year marriage, the couple's desire for a male child has been shattered.

Authorities at the KNUST Hospital have declined to comment, and the matter has been referred to the legal department for resolution.

In response, the Advocacy for Medical Malpractice Victims, a patient-centered non-governmental organization, is spearheading a campaign for justice for the Jamals.

The group believes that a prima facie case can be established against the KNUST Hospital, citing indications of negligence during the circumcision.

“From all indications, the hospital is negligent in the conduct of the circumcision,” Kwame Brobbey Appiah the Executive Secretary said.

“We believe strongly that we would be happy to establish a prima facie case,” he added.

The rise in medico-legal cases in the country is concerning, with at least two cases reported every week, as revealed by the Health Ministry.

Health Minister Kwaku Agyemang Manu expressed worry over the increasing litigation related to care and service delivery.

“What I am seeing of late at the ministry is the issue of litigation. For the past four weeks or so, almost every week, we get at least one letter from the Attorney-General’s office.

“Somebody has sued somebody with problems with care, service delivery and they want us to come with information to go to court with,” he said.

YNA/OGB