The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) authorities have denied allegations in a publication carried by a Kumasi-based newspaper that students of the university had boycotted the KNUST hospital because the hospital refused treatment to a student supposed to have been sent there following a motor accident on campus on January 11, 2003.
The authorities described all the allegations leveled against the university hospital as false and concocted and that at no point was Kofi Appiah, the accident victim, sent to the hospital for treatment.
The denial was contained in a statement read by Professor Kwesi Andam, Vice Chancellor of the KNUST at a press conference in Kumasi on Friday to react to the front page story of Monday, February 10-16 issue of the Kumasi Mail with the caption "Students boycott Tek hospital".
Among others, the said story alleged that following the rejection of the KNUST hospital to treat Appiah, who also happens to be a student of the university, students decided to boycott the university hospital.
Professor Andam explained that following the publication, a thorough investigation was conducted by a committee set up by the authorities in consultation with almost all the key players associated directly or indirectly with the incident.
The Vice Chancellor stated categorically that, "our investigations established that there was no merit in the allegations since there have been no boycott by students of the hospital nor was the accident victim ever sent to the KNUST hospital after the accident".
"In the light of all the denials by eye-witnesses following our investigations, we the authorities of this university have no other option than to reject the story of the Kumasi Mail outright", Professor Andam stressed.
Prof. Andam urge the media not to proceed under the pretext of "scooping" to instantaneously go public on issues concerning the university, but rather cross-check any information with the KNUST first to avoid misinforming the public.
