Renowned Human Rights Lawyer Francis Xavier Sosu has offered to take on the Madina Kekele Polyclinic and get justice for a man who lost his wife and unborn baby at the facility.

The bereaved man believes his wife died because of “medical negligence.”

The 38-year-old mother of four, Cynthia Nuworsu died seven months ago from ruptured uterus and breech presentation after the polyclinic induced her with Cytotec because the baby was not ready to come out with the head.

An email from highly-placed hospital sources explained, her demise to delays in getting an ambulance and on inadequate staff and equipment at the Polyclinic.

The source also claimed the pregnancy was 42 weeks old and that was enough reason to induce labour, adding that the husband reported at the hospital at 7pm and wanted "red carpet treatment."

The mail also contains accusations against the husband of the deceased, Bernard Otu. He was accused of acting violently and "wanting to be worshipped" since the wife died.

However, Francis Xavier Sosu has told Adom News the message is a clear admission to medical negligence, not only by the polyclinic, but by the Ghana Health Service and everyone responsible for the effective running of the Madina Kekele Polyclinic.

"This is a clear case of medical negligence and I am taking it up because if we allow such unacceptable incidents to pass very soon our health institutions will become a door way to our graves," he said.

The widower, Bernard Otoo said he is not surprised at the response of the GHS because from day one the polyclinic has been rude to him and very unprofessional towards him.

Bernard Otoo

He said he petitioned the Minister of Health and copied the GHS two weeks ago but they did nothing until media reports started going out, only for them to issue this "insulting and irresponsible response."

But Bernard said he is comforted by the fact that he has recorded evidence to present in court, so "If they say they did nothing wrong we will meet them in court."

Bernard is yet to meet with Lawyer Sosu.

 

Full e-mailed response from hospital sources

The deceased had gone past 42 weeks pregnant and therefore needed to be delivered. The deceased spent less than 24hrs in the hospital. She went to the hospital after 7pm and induction started at 9.09pm, to be re-examined 4 hours thereafter.

She was examined as prescribed and at the 12 noon examination the fetal heart was absent and therefore the nurses called the specialist at Pentecost hospital who asked that the patient be sent to them.

The ambulance was called at 12.05pm but arrived at 1.20pm when the patient had lost consciousness and bleeding pv. Resuscitation had already commenced but the patient was declared death.

The hospital is highly under staffed and under equipped to handle such situations which may occur in any facility in Ghana.
The difference is the response time. It took almost 1 1/2 hrs to get an ambulance. If the facility had a theatre and a specialist the bleeding could have been stopped under 45minutes to save her life.

It's not about the raptured uterus but lack of both staff and equipment. If you go into any hospital outside visiting hours you don't expect to be given a red carpet welcome.  Moreover, labour ward full of other women in labour is not open to the public.  The privacy of other people is important.

The assertion that the husband just wanted a closure is not true. The hospital had done everything possible but he's bent on maligning the medical director of the clinic who had nothing to do with the deceased.

The relation of their's called him and not a staff of the clinic. He left the body and drove off. It was the same relation who sent the body to the police hospital for the autopsy.

He had at all material times exhibited aggressive behaviour towards the staff of the hospital  and he thinks he should be worshipped by the staff.

The issue is that the staff do not control who works there and what equipment is put in the hospital. His anger and frustration are misdirected towards equally frustrated and tired staff