The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has initiated an investigation regarding the death of a 19-year-old second-year law student at the University of Ghana, Nana Obeng, which occurred at the Ewim Polyclinic in Cape Coast.
Speaking to the media, Nana Obeng’s mother, Nelly Mills, explained that she brought her son, who was asthmatic, to the hospital with the intention of administering a nebulizer treatment to prevent an imminent asthma attack.
“He has been asthmatic for the past ten years,” said the mother. “On the day he died, I served him his food and was waiting to finish eating so I administer his medicines to him. He sat by the table and told me that he was starting to feel worse.
“He said the asthma attack was gradually becoming severe. I asked him to use his pump and he told me to rather take him to the hospital for a nebulizer. So, I refused. He then went to take his bath and things got worse. I then sought help and we carried him to a hospital,”she indicated.
However, she alleged that the medical staff, rather than providing the nebulizer treatment, administered an injection, ultimately resulting in her son’s tragic death shortly thereafter.
“The first hospital told us they had closed so we took him to another one, Ewim Polyclinic. I told them my son needed oxygen and that he was in a critical condition but one of the nurses asked me to go and get a drug outside the hospital which costs just GHC7.00. I came back only to meet my boy vomiting.
“Within a twinkle of an eye, he stood and started acting strange. He looked aggressive and feisty. They then carried him and put him on the bed and I kept asking what they did to my son. Then they started resuscitating him a few times and finally confirmed that he was dead,” she stated in a viral video,” she stated.
The Central health directorate has announced that Nelly will need to await answers until a comprehensive investigation and autopsy, spanning the next two weeks, are completed.