Health Minister gives GHS 30 days to investigate Patient dumping incident

The Minister of Health, Dr. Bernard Okoe-Boye, has given the Ghana Health Service (GHS), 30 days to submit a comprehensive report on the patient who was abandoned in a nearby bush at Gomoa Ojobi.

This directive follows an update from the Director-General of GHS, Dr. Patrick Kumah-Aboagye, regarding the incident.

In his letter, Dr. Kumah-Aboagye informed the Health Minister of the health service decision to relieve the Medical Director of his duties and establish a committee to investigate the matter.

“I appreciate the prompt action taken by the Ghana Health Service to constitute a committee to conduct an independent inquiry into the matter. I am confident that the committee will uncover the facts surrounding this unfortunate incident and make recommendations to prevent such occurrences in the future,” Dr. Okoe-Boye wrote.

He emphasized the need for a timely investigation, noting, “It is the position of the ministry that this process is concluded within a maximum of 30 days from the date of constitution of the committee and a report submitted to my office.”

Dr. Okoe-Boye acknowledged the efforts to uphold the integrity of Ghana’s healthcare system and thanked the GHS for its actions.

The alleged incident involved officials from the Winneba Trauma and Specialist Hospital abandoning a patient in the bush due to the inability to trace the patient’s relatives.

The GHS’s swift response included the formation of a five-member committee to investigate the situation and the temporary removal of the Medical Director from his post pending the outcome of the investigation.