She was Itching to be Discharged; Winneba Hospital on “Abandoned” Patient

The Trauma and Specialist Hospital in Winneba in the Central Region has shed light on the circumstances that led to the discharge and drop-off of a middle-aged woman who was reported to have been dumped in a bush at Gomoa Ojobi earlier this month.

The woman whose story went viral after she was found dead at the exact point she was dropped, garnered public reactions and outrage in the past week with the Ghana Health Service (GHS) announcing a thorough investigation into the incident.

It was reported that she had been left at the spot by the hospital’s ambulance after none of her relatives showed up for her following an accident.

But in a statement, the hospital said she was brought in after being knocked down by a vehicle on May 29, 2024. This was after the National Ambulance Service through a call to the Social Welfare Officer had requested to bring her in.

“The victim of the accident was brought to the hospital by the National Ambulance Service accompanied by the Social Welfare Officer of Gomoa Ojobi and the treatment process started in earnest on the same day.”

According to the hospital, she was given medical treatment after examinations were conducted on her with her feeding, medication and housekeeping borne by the facility throughout the six days when she was on admission.

However, it was noted that the patient became disoriented at some point and began demanding her discharge when she recovered.

“At a certain point in time during the treatment process, the patient became disoriented and started to exhibit some amount of violence. However, after gaining some strength and consciousness, the patient was calm and wished to have been sent back to where she was picked up.

“Moreover, after the patient was declared well by the Clinician, coupled with the fact that she was itching to leave the hospital, a consensus was reached by the two social welfare officers to send her back to Gomoa Ojobi as agreed by the two social workers.”

She was thus discharged on June 6, 2024, and conveyed to the Gomoa Ojobi community- where she told officials she hailed from- by the hospital Ambulance accompanied by the social welfare officer and a staff of the hospital.

It noted, “Sincerely speaking if one should objectively analyse the situation at hand, one would realize that the hospital had played its role as expected of it by taking care of the patient, empathize with her but unfortunately the inevitable occurred.”

The hospital also assured of upholding the highest standards in the discharge of their duties, adding, that they have “well-trained health professionals and will not for a moment misconduct themselves to dent the corporate image of the Ghana Health Service and its own image as a secondary referral facility.”

Meanwhile, it said it had taken in the public criticisms in good faith and would do better next time.

“Furthermore, mentioned should be made clear that this had not been the first time this hospital had played ‘Good Samaritan’ role by taking care of patients of such calibre and delivering them back safely to their community after getting well. Records are available to authenticate the veracity of this claim.

“Management would like to appreciate the sentiments expressed by the public regarding this unfortunate incidence. This is a learning curve and a bitter lesson to learn, and promised not to repeat it again in the life history of the hospital.”