Patient was declared well and discharged to preferred destination - Winneba Trauma Hospital

In response to the recent outcry over an abandoned patient found in a bush near Gomoa Ojobi, the Medical Director of Trauma and Specialist Hospital, Winneba, Dr. Prah George Kwame has clarified that the patient was declared well and discharged to her preferred destination.

The hospital's statement comes amid public condemnation and the initiation of an investigation by the Ghana Health Service (GHS).

The incident, which drew significant media attention, involved hospital officials allegedly abandoning the patient in a remote area because they could not identify her relatives. This sparked widespread outrage and prompted the GHS to form a five-member committee to investigate the matter.

According to a statement released by the hospital, the patient had been treated and declared fit for discharge. The hospital asserts that the patient requested to be taken to a specific location, which they complied with.

“After the necessary examinations were done, Plaster of Paris (POP) was cast on both lower limbs of the patient due to a fracture of the tibia bones. The hospital as usual took absolute responsibility for feeding, medication, and housekeeping of the patient.

“The patient had been on admission for six (6) days and was finally discharged on the 3rd of June 2024 after being declared well. The medical record is tendered in as evidence,” portions of his report highlighted.

Dr. George Kwame explained that interactions between the social welfare officer and the patient revealed that she was a resident of the Gomoa Ojobi community. This information was corroborated by the National Ambulance Service, which confirmed the location of her initial pick-up.

He added that the social welfare officers decided to return her to her community in Gomoa Ojobi. The arrangement involved the national ambulance, the social welfare officer, and a hospital staff member transporting the patient to her chosen destination.

"After the patient was declared well by the clinician and expressed a strong desire to leave the hospital, the social welfare officers agreed to send her back to Gomoa Ojobi," Dr. Kwame explained.

He further noted that the hospital ambulance, accompanied by the social welfare officer and a hospital staff member, transported the patient to her preferred destination. They ensured she was properly clothed and provided with a wheelchair for the journey.