The President of Diabetes Association of Ghana, Elizabeth Denyo is denying her own voice in an audio recording in which she admitted to diverting medication meant to be supplied to diabetic children free of charge.

Mrs Denyo who spoke to Joy News' Kwetey Nartey during an investigation into the alleged diversion and sale of the medication to children suffering from diabetes, rejected her own earlier submissions caught on tape that the drugs which were meant to be given to children were diverted to some health facilities which she thought needed them most.

Some of the patients were made to pay GHÈ»5 for medical supplies they should have received for free. 

She told Kwetey, she was aware some of her members in Wa in the Upper West Region had “decided that when we take it let’s charge everybody GHÈ»5 so that we can have money to run the association.”

She also explained that she undersupplied diabetic clinics at selected medical facilities while the difference is given to adults with diabetic conditions because most of the adult patients who live in rural areas, could not afford to pay for the cost of treatment.

In reality, she attends to 670 children, but on the record, she puts the figure at 712, and her defence is that the remaining medication is given to non-governmental organizations. 

Listen to the audio:

However, responding to the allegations contained in a Joy News Documentary by Kwetey Nartey titled “Diabetic Diversions” aired on the Super Morning Show on Joy FM Thursday, October 19, 2017, Mrs. Denyo bluntly refuted the statements she made earlier to Kwetey.

“I haven’t given anything through the back door and made a record of it,” she said in contrast.

The Contradiction

When Kojo Yankson, host of the show decided to replay the audio recording twice to the hearing of Mrs. Elizabeth Denyo during a live telephone interview, she admitted the audio is her voice but said: “I don’t remember saying that.”

Responding to claims of the drugs being sold to adults at some facilities, the President of Diabetes Association remarked neither her nor the Association could be blamed for the decision of some of her members to sell the vials to adult patients. 

“Once I give it out for free I don’t want to hear what happens next…once the thing leaves our office in Accra for free we can’t be held responsible for what happens outside,” she maintained.

Mrs. Elizabeth Denyo

Meanwhile, Dr. Gabriel Bernakuu, National Chairman for Ghana Coalition of NGOs in Health is calling on the Ministry of Health to activate all its agencies to lead in the delivery of quality healthcare to people suffering from diabetes.

Contributing to the discussion Dr. Bernakuu appreciated the passion with which Mrs Denyo and her Association have worked to secure a Memorandum of Understanding with the International Diabetes Federation for the supply of medication to diabetic children free of charge. 

However, he is of the view government must “initiate the policies as well as strengthen the institutional arrangements.” 

“The Ministry of Health must take immediate action to streamline diabetes care in Ghana. That is their mandate…to ensure quality health delivery,” said.

Play audio attached for the full discussion: