Patient dies after waving at Mahama

A woman believed to be in her fifties, on Saturday died shortly after waving at President John Mahama at the La General Hospital.

She had visited the hospital to seek medical attention, but was left unattended to hours before her untimely death, according to eyewitness’ accounts.


The woman, whose identity was not immediately known, had gone to the hospital to see a doctor when she met her untimely death at about 11:15 GMT.


President Mahama had visited the hospital to get first-hand information on the capacity of the medical facility in handling the cholera epidemic and other related matters.


Upon entering the premises of the hospital, the President waved at the patients who had queued at the Information Desk waiting to be attended to by the attendants, before proceeding to the Out Patients Department (OPD) to visit those on admission.


The woman was among sick patients who had queued to see the doctor, and returned the President’s gesture by waving at him, while beaming with a broad smile.

Shortly afterwards, she collapsed, and all attempts by the hospital staff to resuscitate her proved futile.


Eyewitnesses who spoke to The Chronicle said the woman had been waiting to see the doctor hours before her untimely death.


“She came to the hospital very early in the morning, and I am surprised nobody attended to her. She collapses, and now there is a rush by everybody to resuscitate her. What kind of treatment is that?” queried one of the patients who had also been in the queue long before the incident.


Attempts to speak to the hospital authorities proved futile, as no one was in a position to speak on the matter.


At the time of leaving the hospital, the body of the woman was yet to be deposited at the morgue.