University Hospital to surcharge IPS for destructions

Accra, Oct. 28, GNA - The University of Ghana (UG) on Tuesday condemned the unruly behaviour of some students of the Institute of Professional Studies (IPS) and resultant destruction of properties at the Hospital on Monday, October 20, 2003.

"The University is unhappy with the behaviour of the IPS students at the Hospital and will be consulting with the Institute's administration over the loss of property at the Hospital," a UG statement signed by its Public Relations Officer stated.

The statement said investigations by UG indicates that the patient was brought in unconscious, covered with sand and water and even though no bed was readily available, effort was made to attend to him by putting him on a couch to ascertained his actual state.

The nurses, after feeling his pulse concluded that it was a Brought-in-Dead (BID) case and sought for a Doctor to certify. The Statement said the student's misconstrued efforts to locate a Doctor as inaction on the part of the nurses, which necessitated their destructive action.

It said when the nurses eventually located a Doctor, he instructed that the body be sent to the Police Hospital for investigation. The statement expressed regret about the unruly behaviour of the students and the subsequent allegations that the patient was not promptly attended to, which resulted in his death. "While it may be uncommon to encounter cases of negligence in a number of health centres, it is the view of University that in this particular instance, the nurses on duty discharged their duties satisfactorily," the statement said.