General News of Wednesday, 30 May 2018
Source: Myjoyonline.com
2018-05-30
Dr Obeng Andoh has been charged with murder by the Accra Magistrate Court
The Health Facilities Regulatory Agency (HEFRA) has revealed that the Obengfo Hospital in Accra is not registered with the agency.
However, the agency, responsible for licensing and monitoring of both private and public health facilities in Ghana, said it was in the process of getting it registered before the tragic death of Stacy Offei Darko, the Deputy CEO of the National Entrepreneurship Innovation Programme (NEIP). Her passing has triggered investigations into the facility’s operations.
“So far as that facility is concerned, we have not registered them officially. We are aware of them and we are in the process of doing that,” HEFRA’s registrar, Mathew Kyeremeh said in an interview on the Super Morning Show with Daniel Dadzie.
He added that prior to the incident, the agency had requested for some information to facilitate the registration process when the unfortunate incident occurred.
“We have asked them to provide us with certain information. We gave them a bit of time to do that and on March 26 this year they were advised to put in place certain things which includes pin numbers, fire certificates because we realised that some of those things were not in place,” Kyeremeh said.
He continued, “On May 25, we reviewed the file and we have decided to go and visit because we didn’t hear anything from them.”
Stacy Offei Darko was reported dead at the Obengfo hospital on May 21, 2018
Stacy’s sudden demise at the Obengfo Hospital has raised many questions about the facility’s operations.
The Deputy CEO was at the facility last Sunday to seek treatment for a headache but never returned. Her mother, Nana Akosua Anima I, found out about her death three days after it occurred.
Narrating the incident on the Super Morning Show on Tuesday, Akosua Anima I told of her struggle to get information about the state of her daughter’s health at the facility.
She accused the operator of the facility Dr Dominic Obeng Andoh of causing Stacy’s death and has vowed to seek justice.
Investigations have begun into the incident. Police have arrested Dr Obeng Andoh who has subsequently been charged with murder.
The second accused, Edward Amponsah, who is a cleaner at the hospital, has also been charged with impersonation contrary to section 134 of the criminal offences Act 29.
Mr Kyeremeh described the incident as tragic but said since an earlier case is still pending in court, it could not have caused the closure of the facility until that was done.
He also indicates that although Dr Obeng Andoh was not in good standing with the Dental and Medical Council, another doctor, Moses Thompson, who was the practitioner in charge of the facility said the agency was hoping to work with him on the registration.
HEFRA’s investigations into the facility’s operations have been made even more difficult by its closure following Ms Darko’s death.
But Mr Kyeremeh has promised that he is doing all he can to ensure that any information needed to facilitate the registration or otherwise is gathered.
He lamented that the many challenges the agency is faced with have made it difficult for it to perform to the fullest but assured that the right things are being done regardless.
“It is not that easy for us to be on top of all health facilities in the country at all times so we are encouraging the public to let us know if they come across any situation they are not happy with,” he said.
“I can assure you that as soon as we get to hear of such, we will go in there as quickly as possible because it has to do with people’s health and we don’t have second chances,” he added.
On a whole, he noted that HEFRA is working with the Health Ministry to ensure that certain quality standards are in place in all health facilities across the country.
He also said HEFRA is working at publishing a league table of all health facilitates in good standing periodically.
“As much as we can, we will educate the public as to the situation and status of health facilities so that their health is not compromised.”