The University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) has demanded a retraction and apology from Ghanaian American comedian Michael Blackson over his description of the facility as the “worst hospital in Ghana.”

UGMC says the comments have damaged its reputation and do not reflect the hospital’s clinical standards or overall performance.

Read Also: Michael Blackson blasts UG Medical Centre over mother’s death

Speaking on JoyNews Desk on August 10, the Director of Medical Affairs Dr Baffour Gyan said the assessment of a hospital should be based on its performance records, infrastructure and qualified personnel not an individual’s experience.

“To come out and say UGMC is the worst hospital that one I disagree totally,” he said.

Dr Gyan said UGMC is pursuing Joint Commission International (JCI) accreditation as part of efforts to meet international standards and position the facility for medical tourism.

UGMC management also rejected allegations of misdiagnosis or negligence in the treatment of Blackson’s 83-year-old mother. According to Dr Gyan, she was referred to UGMC from another facility with a severe infection and spent eight weeks at the hospital, including six weeks in the Intensive Care Unit.

He said clinicians followed standard treatment protocols throughout her admission.

“For diagnosis and management, 100% we did not do anything wrong,” Dr Gyan said.

He added that the infection with which she was admitted was ultimately responsible for her death.

Dr Gyan, however, expressed condolences to the family, acknowledging the difficulty of losing a loved one despite efforts to save them. UGMC has confirmed that its lawyers have formally written to Blackson over his social media comments.

Dr Gyan said the hospital is seeking a retraction and apology and is awaiting the comedian’s response.

“Our lawyers have written to him just for him to retract and apologise for all that he said on social media,” he said.