Criminologist, Prof. Ken Attafuah has condemned what he says is the disregard for procedures at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in what has become the missing baby controversy.

Prof Ken Attafuah said “there appears to be clear admission on the part of the hospital authorities that they cannot trace the baby…that itself speaks volumes about our seriousness as a country with respect to our procedures and protocols that govern the treatment of human life.”

Condemning the manner in which some nurses at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital handled the issue of an alleged dead baby, Professor Attafuah said if due process was followed, the case would not have escalated.

Two weeks ago, the body of a baby who had been declared dead after birth became the subject of controversy after family members accused hospital authorities of stealing the child.

The hospital has denied the charge but is unable to produce the corpse.

Speaking to the Super Morning Show, Monday, Professor Ken Attafuah said hospital authorities must ensure proper procedures are adhered to in order to avoid negative branding of facilities and their workers.

“The way it [KATH] handled [the issue] was not indicative of a death that had genuinely occurred…we need to take these kinds of things seriously…it is shameful that we don’t observe administrative justice procedures in matters of this kind,” he stressed.

Professor Attafuah, was a member of a committee of enquiry set by the Ministry of Health in 2000 to investigate a similar matter at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.

The Gender Ministry has also questioned the work ethics and attitudes of hospital workers and backed calls for certain procedures to be followed in such circumstances.

Communications Manager at the Ministry of Health, Mercy Adjabeng has indicated that the ministry has offered to provide counseling and psychosocial support for both mother and family of the alleged missing baby.

She said the ministry would on Thursday make public details of an investigative report on the incident.