KEY POINTS
- Health Minister directs police to investigate Winneba Hospital staff.
- Six employees implicated in abandoning patient who later died.
- Attorney General requested to determine further legal action.
The Ghana Health Ministry has ordered that six staff members of Winneba Trauma and Specialist Hospital be handed over to police for their role in abandoning a patient in a bush in June 2024, leading to her death.
Health ministry calls for police investigation
The directive follows a report by the Ghana Health Service (GHS), which concluded that the involved staff “did not act appropriately” during the patient’s discharge. According to Graphic Online, the Health Minister has requested that the affected staff be reported to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the police, as well as the Attorney General for further investigation.
The GHS investigative committee found that the six employees contributed to the planning and transfer of the patient from the hospital to Gomoa Ojobi, where she was abandoned and later died.
These staff members include the Deputy Director of Nursing, the physician assistant, the transport officer, the principal hospital orderly, the medical director, and the social worker.
The Deputy Director of Nursing arranged for the patient to be discharged without proper adherence to discharge protocols. The physician assistant declared the patient mentally stable without following the appropriate procedures, while the transport officer organized the ambulance, driver, and fuel. The medical director authorized the use of the ambulance, and the social worker led the team to abandon the patient.
Ghana health service report recommendations
The investigative committee conducted their inquiry from June 20 to July 25, 2024, and discovered that the patient was initially admitted on May 29, 2024, and discharged on June 13.
The patient, reportedly with a mental illness or dementia, was left in a bush near Gomoa Ojobi, where she succumbed after several days. The committee concluded that she was not a resident of Gomoa Ojobi, and no family member came forward, either while she was in the hospital or after her death.
In light of the gravity of the case, which resulted in the loss of life, the Health Ministry disagreed with the initial recommendation for internal disciplinary actions only.
Instead, it sought further investigation by the Attorney General to establish any criminal culpability and ensure appropriate consequences. The Ministry emphasized the importance of holding those responsible accountable and has committed to supporting the recommendations outlined by the committee.
Calls for accountability in healthcare
The Ghana Health Ministry’s press statement noted that the affected staff had been reported to the CID. The report also detailed how the patient, initially suspected to be from Gomoa Ojobi, had been dumped by the roadside in a wheelchair. Images shared online showed the patient lying beside the road, with signs of poor health and no adequate care, until her eventual death.
The actions of the staff at Winneba Trauma and Specialist Hospital have raised concerns over the proper treatment of vulnerable patients within the healthcare system. The Ministry of Health has reiterated its commitment to maintaining high standards in healthcare services and ensuring that the rights and dignity of patients are upheld.
The GHS committee also revealed that the patient, who was recovering from leg injuries, had been taken to the Trauma Hospital by ambulance after being initially treated at Ojobi Health Centre.
However, her stay at Winneba Hospital ended tragically, with staff deciding to abandon her instead of seeking an appropriate long-term care solution.
The Attorney General’s office is expected to evaluate the investigation’s findings and work with the police to determine the next steps regarding the charges against the implicated staff.
