Couple demands compensation from Lister Hospital

April 10, 2010 (Page 11)

A COUPLE who lost their child through what they term “medical malpractice and professional negligence” is demanding GH¢2 million compensation from the Lister Hospital and Fertility Centre where the baby died.
Mr Thomas Vaah and Mrs Elizabeth Vaah, who work with the United Nations and the World Bank, respectively, plan to use the money as seed money for a foundation they have formed in memory of their late son to provide assistance for parents who undergo a similar ordeal.
The traumatised parents are accusing the hospital of “gross unprofessional conduct” which led to the death of Nyilale Vaah Junior, who was delivered on Tuesday, March 9, 2010, almost 17 hours after Mrs Vaah had been admitted and had received virtually no attention from healthcare professionals at the hospital.
“No couple should have to go through what we’ve just been through, especially when an otherwise healthy baby has to die because the people we entrust our health care to and for which we are ready to pay hefty sums of money show such level of incompetence and negligence,” the couple pointed out.
However, the hospital, through its lawyers, Awoonor Law Consultancy, has stated that the couple are “hardly in any position to make such judgements concerning the professional competence of the medical personnel at Lister Hospital” and further says that a pathologist is in the process of conducting a histology examination on the deceased baby to establish the cause of death.
According to the hospital, “While sympathising with and sharing the grief of the parents of the baby, we would like to draw attention to the unsubstantiated claims of professional misconduct and gross negligence.”
Narrating their ordeal to the Daily Graphic in an interview, the couple stated that the nurses and doctors on duty at the hospital on the night Mrs Vaah was admitted through to the following day exhibited “clear negligence and incompetence” which led to the preventable death of Vaah Jnr who had, at all material times, been declared fit and well by ultrasound results at the same hospital.
A letter dated March 17, 2010 signed on behalf of the couple by their lawyer, Mr Tuinese Edward Amuzu, stated among others that Mrs Vaah was admitted at the hospital on March 8, 2010 but the nurses on duty did not attend to her from the day of her admission to the day her son died despite her husband’s numerous pleas.
The couple equally accused the head of the facility, Dr Edem Hiadzi, of failing to attend to Mrs Vaah at the time he had promised and Dr Boye, the doctor on duty on the night of March 8, 2010, of inducing a medication to reduce Mrs Vaah’s contractions with the explanation that Mrs Vaah had to undergo caesarian section the following morning, a surgery which was never to be.
Mr Vaah, who said he was present throughout his wife’s predicament, indicated that Dr Hiadzi did not show up as he had promised but arrived after it was too late and “nurses on duty had proved their incompetence beyond reasonable doubt”.
He indicated that it was their fervent prayer that no parent should ever go through what they had gone through.
Meanwhile, the couple has set up a foundation called “Vaah Junior Foundation for Better Maternal and Child Health”, with the website address: HYPERLINK "http://www.vaahjuniorfoundation.org".
Parents who have in one way or another been affected by the negligence of health care professionals can also call 026 – 1861 612.
The Foundation has made it an objective to: Serve as a mouthpiece platform for families affected by such negligence, Create awareness on the prevalence of professional negligence in maternal and child health care delivery in Ghana, help provide legal backing for families affected by negligent and incompetent maternal and child health care service delivery as well as institute an award scheme to reward and recognise exemplary service by maternal and child health personnel and service providers.