Negligence Costs Boy’s Hand At Hospital

The alleged negligence of health personnel at the Bimbilla Government Hospital in the Nanumba North District of the Northern Region has cost a 2-year-old boy his hand.

Prosper Nsumba’s right had to be amputated at the Tamale Teaching Hospital, where he was referred to, after nurses at Bimbilla Hospital failed to give him the necessary medication.

Prosper hails from Moba, a farming community in the Nanumba South District of the Northern region.

According to DAILY GUIDE’s investigations, the child was sent to the Bimbilla Government Hospital on April 12, 2012 as he suffered from dysentery, and was placed on admission.

It was gathered that he was supposed to be administered a number of infusions but the nurses’ inability to track his veins to enable him take the infusions allegedly caused his hand to swell and later develop into a sore.

Despite numerous complaints from Yatiga Nsumba, the victim’s mother, they assured her that the situation would be rectified.

However, a few days later, the situation started getting out of hand, prompting hospital authorities to refer mother and son to the Tamale Teaching Hospital.

The move was allegedly aimed at covering up their negligence.

Prosper was subsequently referred to the Tamale Teaching Hospital on April 20, 2012, according to further checks by DAILY GUIDE.

After series of diagnosis, doctors at the facility recommended the amputation of the boy’s hand in order to save his life.

The procedure was accordingly done on Tuesday April 24, 2012.

The mother of the boy, who spoke to DAILY GUIDE, did not rule out the possibility of dragging the hospital to court for their alleged incompetence and negligence.

According to her, she was waiting for her son to recover, after which, she would, together with her husband, take the hospital to court.

One Madam Modester, Matron of the Bimbilla Hospital, confirmed the incident to DAILY GUIDE, indicating that little Prosper was indeed admitted at the facility for suffering from dysentery.

She refused to make further comments on the matter, indicating that she was neither a ward nurse nor the administrator of the facility, and requested this reporter to visit the facility for further discussion on the matter.

All attempts to speak to the administrator of the facility proved futile as he was reported to have travelled out of Bimbilla for official duties.

Checks at the Tamale Teaching Hospital however revealed that little Prosper was still on admission at the hospital as medical personnel monitored his recovery.