The Central Regional Health Directorate has said that it has become aware of the unfortunate maternal death that occurred at the Kasoa Mother and Child Hospital.
The Directorate said it has therefore commenced investigation into the incident.
“In line with our commitment to accountability, patient safety, and the highest standards of maternal healthcare, the Central Regional Health Directorate has constituted a dedicated investigative committee.
The team includes representation from the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital, the Trauma & Specialist Hospital, the Regional Health Directorate, the Regional Co-ordinating Council and the AG’s office,” a press release dated April 29 indicated.
It stated that, “The esteemed members of the investigative committee have been mandated to conduct a thorough, objective, and transparent review of the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate incident. Upon completion of the investigation, the findings and recommendations will be made available to the public in the interest of transparency and to inform measures aimed at preventing future occurrences.”
The Directorate assured the people of the Central Region and the general public that it remains firmly committed to the safety, quality of care, and well-being of all patients, particularly mothers and children.
“We extend our deepest condolences to the bereaved family, loved ones, and all those affected by this tragic loss. The death of a mother is a profoundly painful event, and we treat this matter with the utmost seriousness and concern,” the release signed by the Regional Director of Health Service, Dr Mrs Alberta Adjebeng Biritwum-Nyarko further assured.
They appealed for calm and urged the public to allow the investigative process to proceed without interference to ensure a fair, credible, and accurate outcome.
Background
Earlier, Citinewsroom reported that a pregnant woman in labour died after healthcare workers at the Mother and Child Hospital in Kasoa allegedly denied her request for a caesarean section due to a lack of beds in the wards.
The deceased, Opoku Abigail, according to her sister, had initially visited a private health facility for delivery but was referred to the Mother and Child Hospital after labour was prolonged.
At the facility, however, requests by both the patient and her relatives for a caesarean section were reportedly declined by hospital staff, who cited the absence of an empty bed in the recovery ward.
The family says Abigail died nearly 36 hours after arriving at the hospital, with the baby still in her womb.
Her death, which occurred on Sunday, April 26, adds to what relatives claim are several similar incidents at the facility.
A sister of the deceased, who spoke to Citi News, is calling for a review of the hospital’s operations, insisting their relative could have been saved if the request for a surgical intervention had been granted.
“Before she was referred, we were told to allow for a cesarean surgery to save both the baby and the mother. But when we told the nurses at Mother and Child Hospital, they said the recovery ward was fully occupied, so they couldn’t perform the surgery.
“They told us she will deliver. We arrived between 2 and 3 am, but they gave her no medication. She was lying in pain, and even when she personally requested the CS, they didn’t mind her,” she said.
Attempts to reach the Medical Director and Administrator of the hospital for a response were unsuccessful, as hospital officials told Citi News’ Central Regional correspondent that both were unavailable to comment.
