The Korle Bu Teaching Hospital has described as false a story suggesting that a three-year-old patient died at the hospital due to negligence on the part of health officials.
A statement signed by Head of Public Relations of the hospital, Mustapha Salifu said the story which was written by one Tetteh Tsatsu Kodzo on Facebook “sought to create a false impression that our staff were negligently looking on while the child was gasping for breath and eventually died.”
Mr Salifu said the patient was admitted from a hospital in Kasoa on account of swallowing a coin but was discharged after hospital officials discovered that the coin had descended into the child’s stomach.
“The patient was admitted on Monday 29th July, 2019 at 11: 57 am from a hospital in Kasoa on account of swallowing a coin. Upon admission at the Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Department, the patient was checked and her oxygen saturation, temperature, pulse and respiration were within the normal range. The patient was therefore put on IV fluids to prevent her from being weak and to withstand the removal of the coin, should the need arise.”
“During ward rounds yesterday, Tuesday, July 30th 2019, the patient was reviewed by a team led by the Head of Department and an x-ray was requested to determine the state of the coin. The x-ray was received by the Department in the afternoon and it showed that the coin had descended into the child’s stomach. The parents were therefore advised to monitor the child’s stool, since the coin was no longer a threat and surgery was not required.The patient was thus discharged around 4pm yesterday and is expected to report to the Department when the child expects the coin in her stool.”
Mr. Salifu warned that the hospital might be forced to sue individuals publishing such stories.