6 Trauma and Specialist Hospital workers to be prosecuted over death of transfer patient

Six staff of the Trauma and Specialist Hospital at Win­neba in the Central region have been implicated in the case of a transfer of a patient from the facility in June this year, leading to her death.

This follows the conclusion of investigations by the Ghana Health Service (GHS) into the matter which revealed grave misconduct on the part of hospital officials who they did not act appropriately in the transfer process to Ojobi, where the patient was negligently abandoned and died.

In a statement issued on Tues­day, the Ministry of Health (MOH) disclosed that it had referred the case to the Criminal Investiga­tions Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service and Attorney General’s Department for further investigations and action.

“The Ministry is of the view that in light of the gravity of the issue captured in the report, involving the loss of life, further investigations should be carried out by the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice.

Consequently, the MOH has requested the assistance of the AG to initiate an investigation into the case to determine the culpability or otherwise of the affected staff and take further action deemed appropriate.”

The Ministry reiterated its ded­ication to upholding the highest standards of healthcare delivery and ensuring that the tragic cir­cumstances leading to this incident are not repeated.

Meanwhile, the implicated staff are to be sanctioned by the Ghana Health Service through internal disciplinary procedures.

It would be recalled that in June 2024, a patient said to be on admission at the Trauma and Specialist Hospital at Winneba was discharged and abandoned in a bush.

Reports alledged that an ambu­lance from the hospital was used to transport and dump the old woman who was still recovering from leg injuries after an accident at the roadside near a bush.

Photos and videos shared on the internet showed the woman lying by the roadside with P.O.P. on both legs and a wheelchair lying by her side.

It was a passer-by who offered a cloth to help keep the old woman warm when she exhibited signs of feeling cold.

Prior to her death after some days, reports indicated that the old woman suspected to be suffering from mental illness or dementia was reportedly involved in an acci­dent and was taken to the Winneba Trauma and Specialist Hospital for medical attention.

After some time on admission, the elderly woman after gaining consciousness was only able to give an indication that she was from Gomoa Ojobi in the Central Region.

Apart from that, she could not give hospital staff much informa­tion about herself to assist them trace her relatives and no family member showed up at the hospital to engage the management of the hospital.

Reportedly, when the hospital authorities became fed up with her, especially as some hospital staff claimed she was constantly screaming at night, being violent and disturbing patients and staff, they decided to go out to search for her relatives.

The GHS investigative com­mittee established to look into the matter which started its work on June 20, 2024 and ended on July 25, 2024 established that the deceased was admitted at the Winneba Hospital on May 29, 2024 and discharged on June 13, 2024.

The committee also estab­lished that she was not a native of Gomoa Ojobi or was living in the area.

The first time the community members saw her was the day they found her lying in a gutter with injuries and she was first taken to the Ojobi Health Centre with the help of the Assembly Member for the area.