Accra-Ghana, Dec. 14, GNA – The St. John’s Hospital and Fertility Centre has denied charges of medical negligence and vicarious culpability made by Mr. and Mrs. Sackey, which resulted in the loss of their baby.
The hospital, through its lawyers, stated that the claims made against it in a lawsuit filed in court were false, baseless, and unjustified.
The couple sued the medical facility for alleged medical negligence that resulted in their baby’s death, seeking GH5 million for the loss of life, pain, and suffering caused by their actions.
According to the lawyers, the alleged claims were meant to ruin their client’s hard-earned image as one of the best fertility centres in the country.
“We also wish to inform you that this allegation can best be described as extortionary,” they added.
The Hospital’s lawyers claimed that the writ had not been served on their client, and that their client first learned of the writ in a Ghana News Agency publication dated December 12, 2023, with the headline “Couple sues St. John’s Hospital & Fertility Center for GH5million over alleged negligence.”
They said that their client and its health personnel provided reasonable care to Mrs. Sandra Tekyiwaa Sackey from her antenatal care to her baby’s delivery, in accordance with the established norms and protocols accepted in the medical profession.
The lawyers said their client never breached its duty to Mrs. Sackey.
“At the time Mrs. Sackey visited our client’s health facility and upon detection of her signs of labour being water breaking, which she claimed happened an hour earlier, Mrs. Sackey was immediately attended to,” they added.
They claimed that she alerted their health personnel about an impending examination, which she was required to write on the same day.
The lawyers said their client and its health staff convinced Mrs. Sackey to forego her scheduled examination that day for the welfare of her unborn child.
“This was eminent on the account of poor heartbeat of the unborn baby and the need to save the baby urgently,” they said
They stated that after a lengthy delay on the part of Mrs. Sackey, who persisted in leaving their client’s hospital to write her examinations on the same day she was due to have a baby.
“Mrs. Sackey agreed to be admitted upon further advice and persuasion from our Client.”
“Our client and its staff acted expeditiously when they realized that the baby was asphyxiated after the delivery,” the lawyers said.
They said the doctor on duty helped resuscitate the baby and arrangements were made to transfer the baby to another hospital for further treatment.
They said their client attended to Mrs. Sackey, and later discharged her on August 14, 2023, at 2:00 pm.
The lawyers said their client was informed through a letter from Mrs. Sackey’s attorney dated November 3, 2023, that the baby died on August 14, 2023, at the referral hospital.
“We wish to state that our client has every intention of contesting the said writ when served on our client,” it said.
The lawyers said their client has had over 4288 deliveries since 2012, with 6 stillbirths and 4 macerated births.
“The health facility has won the hearts of its numerous clients based on sound management practices.
“It has a very disciplined workforce, who recognise the need to provide highly skilled and satisfactory care to its clients.
“Every decision made by our client’s healthcare professionals is guided by the highest standards of care,” they said.
St John’s Hospital and Fertility Centre has won numerous awards including the CIMG for best Private Hospital 2020, Customers Choice Fertility Centre of the Year 2021, Trusted Women & Fertility Hospital of the year 2021, HealthCare Centre of the Year (Fertility) 2022 from National Customers Choice and Best Community Involvement Hospital 2022 from West Africa Excellence Healthcare awards.
Others include the Ultramodern Medical Facility of the Year 2022 from the Ghana-West Africa Excellence Awards, the Fertility Hospital Brand of the Year 2023 from the Ghana Corporate BRANDS Awards, the Healthcare Facility of the Year 2023 from the NCCAwards Ghana, and the Outstanding Private Specialist Hospital of the Year (Gynaecology) from the Ghana-West Africa Health Excellence Award 2023.
