Give me my wife’s medical records – Dr Kuto demands from Ridge Hospital

The Director of the Ghana Institute of Languages, Dr. Emmanuel Kobena Kuto, is demanding the release of the medical records of his wife, Esther Sosa, who died at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, popularly known as Ridge Hospital, last month.

Narrating what happened at a meeting, which took place on Tuesday, June 30 between the Hospital’s investigative committee and himself, Mr Kuto said there has been back and forth between the authorities and himself after he requested to have the medical records of his late wife.

In a statement after the meeting, Dr Kuto said the meeting agreed on a number of things including the fact that the Hospital has failed to notify the family and also debrief the husband and follow established protocols.

The meeting also agreed to make the findings of the proposed autopsy meaningful to the family and husband, and also that Dr Kuto will pick a coroner forms and proceed to report to the police.

In the ongoing campaign of medical negligence on Sunrise on 3FM, Dr Kuto told host of the morning show, Alfred Ocansey, that the medical report has since not been released to him.

“So I submitted that letter to them as they said to request for that information and then a few hours later [Dr Emmanuel Srofenyo, the Medical Director of the Hospital] called to tell me their lawyers have advised not to give the request permission so he called me come and sign again and I decline.

“Now few days later he called me again whiles I was in my hometown to say the Hospital authorities have changed their mind so they are going to release the document to me so I should send my email address.”

He, however, said as at Monday, July 6, he had still not heard anything from them.

He said after sending the email, however, they did not release the medical report but only the consent forms.

“Obviously, I was not going to sign. . .so he then sent a second mail and said he was going to send a medical report on Monday. So I am just waiting to see if they would send that today.”

According to Dr Kuto, he doesn’t get the feeling that they are committed to see the end of the matter.

The 3FM Sunrise campaign on medical negligence is a month-long campaign that focuses on the system challenges and unprofessional behaviour by health professionals and hope to effect change.

It also seeks to provide voice to the voiceless in society by encouraging them to come out and speak.

The Hashtag for this campaign is #everylifematters and is produced every other day.