Woman, 30, and unborn child died over lack of beds - Suntreso hospital

The management of Suntreso Government Hospital in Kumasi, Ashanti region, have attributed the death of a 30-year-old pregnant woman and her unborn baby to inadequate beds at the theatre.

It was reported that the 30-year-old pregnant woman died at the Suntreso Government Hospital on Wednesday, July 4, 2018, after the health facility refused her entry into the labour ward because her husband could not immediately pay a GHS500 ‘Doctor Motivation Fee’.

Angela Afriyie Agyemang later died at the theatre just as her husband had made available the GHS500 fee for which she had been denied medical attention.

The medical superintendent of the Suntreso government hospital Dr Agyarko Poku speaking in an interview with Abusua FM’s Osei Kwadwo debunked the allegation made by the deceased’s husband Pastor Solomon Lamo Lattiff that doctors at Suntreso Hospital government hospital told him to pay GHS500 as doctors motivation fee.

According to Dr. Poku, the deceased was not denied entry to the labour ward because her husband couldn’t afford to pay the said amount.

“I can confirm that the 30-year-old pregnant woman died with her unborn baby on the July 4, 2018 but it is not true that the deceased was denied entry into the labour ward because of GHS500. We don’t have anything like doctor motivation fee as far as health service is concern at Suntreso government hospital. The woman and her unborn baby died due to inadequate beds at the theatre,” he said.

He added that Suntreso Hospital has only one theatre bed which was then occupied by a patient who had undergone surgery.

Dr Poku added that the deceased and her unborn baby died when she was sent to the theatre room for treatment after she waited for some time due to inadequate beds.

Meanwhile, the Ghana Health Service has begun investigations into the matter.

A source told Osei Kwadwo that Dr Emmanuel Tenkorang, Director of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) in the Ashanti Region would meet with the management at Suntreso Government Hospital on Wednesday.