The High Court in Accra (General Jurisdiction 6) presided over by Justice Kweku Tawiah Ackaah-Boafo has awarded over GHc1m in damages against the 37 Military Hospital for maternal negligence.
According to Starr FM court correspondent Murtala Inusah, the parties involved are one Captain Nyamekeye who happens to be the husband of the late woman who died after delivering her baby at the hospital, as well as the doctors who conducted her throughout her labor.
The deceased’s father was also a plaintiff in the case.
Murtala indicated that “the issue was that when the deceased person was taken through labor, the husband requested that she had to be put through a caesarian session, but the doctors at the point rejected that request and made her go through vaginal delivery. After the delivery, she bled profusely.”
He noted that the court was convinced that she was not properly monitored and the staff at the hospital had acted negligently which led to her bleeding and subsequent death.
“At a point, there was blood made available to her when she was taken to the theater but the doctors also didn’t use the blood and she lost 1.5 liters of blood, he further reported.
*The court also awarded damages of GH¢100,000 for pain and suffering, GH¢ 50,000 for Disfigurement and Disability, GH¢50,000 for Primary care-giving expenses and medication and GH¢25,000.00 as costs to the Plaintiffs against the Defendants.*
The court also awarded damages of GHc50,000 for mental distress, GHc100,000 to the baby (Yaw Nyamekye) for the deformity to the right arm, GHc50,000 for pain, another GHc50, 000 to the husband and GHc25, 000 for the primary care given of the baby.
The total cost of damages awarded against the hospital for negligence is GHc1, 075, 000.
The court said, looking at the age of the deceased [27-yrs-old], and her knowledge of expertise, she would have been beneficial to the country and the family.
According to the court, the event leading to the death of the deceased was unacceptable and if care was not taken there would be more of such deaths.
The deceased was a Ph.D. student at the University of Ghana.
Source : Starr FM
