Nat’l Ambulance Service blames hospital for death of woman in labour

Head of Public Relations at the National Ambulance Service (NAS) Simon Yousiff Kewura says the Service cannot be blamed for the death of the nursing mother being transferred from Takoradi to Accra on referral.

Speaking in an interview with Nhyiraba Paa Kwesi Simpson on Connect FM’s Omanbapa morning show, Mr. Yousif Kewura revealed that a disagreement between nurses and a doctor at the Holy Child Hospital Fijai in Sekondi-Takoradi might have caused the delay, which perhaps led to the death of the patient.

His response comes after claims by the husband of the deceased, John Obiri Yeboah, that gross unprofessionalism on the part of personnel of the Service led to the death of his wife.

Narrating events leading to the death of his wife on Connect FM’s morning show, Mr Obiri Yeboah explained to the host that his wife successfully underwent surgery on Tuesday, January 4 at the Holy Child Hospital.

He had gone home and was preparing food for the wife when he received a call from his wife’s sister that his wife had suffered a complication and was to be transferred to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra.

But Mr. Obiri Yeboah said the Ambulance Service officials demanded an amount of GH¢600 to enable them buy fuel.

He explained that the officials caused undue delay with their demand for the money.

“Whilst on our way to Accra, the [National] Ambulance Service personnel stopped and asked me to bring an amount of GH¢600 for fuel. I had only GH¢150 on me then, they took GH¢50 and bought the fuel. Right after buying the fuel, they returned to Takoradi whilst my wife was suffering,” he narrated.

But the NAS PRO insisted the Service cannot be blamed for the death.

“We were called by the hospital to convey the patient to Korle Bu. The hospital told us that the husband of the patient will pay the cost of the fuel. We wanted to buy the fuel along the way but the husband of the patient did not have the money. At the same time the hospital called and asked us to return and take the baby she delivered along. After getting to the hospital, there was a heated argument between the nurse and the doctor and that caused the delay and the subsequent death of the patient, so we cannot be blamed,” he stated.

Legal action

In the meantime, Mr. Obiri Yeboah has resolved to take the National Ambulance Service to court.

He believes that some people must be punished for the death of his wife and only the court can settle the issue.

“Someone must be punished for the kind of negligence exhibited by the personnel of the [National] Ambulance Service. I will seek legal assistance because my wife could not have died if not for their negligence,” he noted.