Injection deaths: Retired Technician, Physician Assistant remanded

The Somanya Magistrate Court has remanded James Yeboah, a 65-year-old retired field technician at New Senchi Health Centre (Disease Control Unit) and Simon Tarkrama, 42, a Physician Assistant at the facility.

The two accused persons were remanded on Tuesday to allow further investigation into the death of three people from contaminated injections.

The Asuogyaman District Health Director, Abdul Aziz Abdulai on Friday, March 30, 2018, handed over the two to the Akosombo Police to assist in investigations over the deadly injection which has so far claimed three (3) lives.

The Health Director had earlier lodged an official complaint at the Akosombo Police Station about the incident.

According to the Public Relations officer of the Eastern Regional Police Command, the Police is collaborating with the Ghana Health Service to investigate the incident.

The Ghana Health Service has said the accused, James Yeboah who administered the injection operated illegally.

The FDA has said its preliminary investigations indicate that the deaths may have been caused by contaminated medication.

The FDA noted that the deceased persons suffered adverse reactions described as injection site abscess, skin necrosis and ulcers leading to the deaths.

“Preliminary investigations revealed that these reactions may be due to contaminated 0.9% Normal Saline, the solution which was used to reconstitute (mix) the Benzathine Penicillin Powder for Injection. The 0.9% Normal Saline Solution was reported to have been opened and used repeatedly for several days which might have resulted in the contamination,” a statement from the FDA explained.

Samples from the deceased patients have also been taken for investigations at the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical research.