ALBERT SOMI AND TEMA GENERAL HOSPITAL [2000]DLCHRAJ5729

Date	2000-08-16
Suit No.	Our Ref: CHRAJ/2/98/1368
Citation No.	[2000]DLCHRAJ5729

EMILE FRANCIS

[2000]DLCHRAJ5729
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" ><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
color:#00B050">ALBERT SOMI<o:p></o:p>(COMPLAINANT)<o:p></o:p>AND<o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
color:#00B050">TEMA GENERAL HOSPITAL<o:p></o:p>(RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p>(CHRAJ)<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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Our Ref: CHRAJ/2/98/1368&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 16/08/2000<o:p></o:p>

</div>COMMISSIONER:<o:p></o:p>EMILE FRANCIS SHORT COMMISSIONER<o:p></o:p>DECISION<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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</div>INTRODUCTION<o:p></o:p>On 4th January, 1998 at about 6.30 a.m.
Patience Somi, who was pregnant, was rushed to the Tema General Hospital after
she experienced severe bleeding at her parents' home. On arrival at the Out-Patient-Department
(O.P.D.) there was no doctor to attend to her. The night Doctor, Dr. Somia,
left the hospital between 4.00 a.m. and 4.30 a.m. Dr. Asare-Amoah who was
supposed to take over from Dr. Somia at 8.00 a.m. did not show up until much
later. Several hours<o:p></o:p>The
Complainant said he ran out of money. He therefore left the hospital to inform
his daughter's husband about the emergency and also to get some money from him.
He left his wife and another daughter at the hospital to monitor the situation.<o:p></o:p>I
The Complainant stated further that a doctor arrived at about 11.30 a.m. and
Patience Somi was taken to the theatre and operated upon but apparently, it was
too late and neither Patience Somi nor her baby survived. According to the
Complainant the doctor attributed the death of Patience Somi to anaemia but he
strongly believes that his daughter's death was caused by the failure of the
hospital to provide prompt medical attention to her.<o:p></o:p>The Commission conducted a hearing to
determine the merits of the complaint. The Complainant gave evidence and called
two witnesses.<o:p></o:p>The Complainant's evidence at the hearing
was substantially the same as his initial complaint with a few more details. He
testified that Patience Somi came to them at about 5.00a.m. and they noticed
she was bleeding; they rushed her to the hospital and arrived there at about
6.30 a.m. As at about 10 a.m. when he left the hospital to inform Patience
Somi's husband about his wife's condition, no doctor had come to the hospital
to attend to her daughter.<o:p></o:p>Two
witnesses Agnes Somi, the Complainant's wife and Pastor Wisdom Wemegah
testified for the Complainant.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>Agnes
Somi<o:p></o:p>Agnes
Somi testified that her daughter was pregnant and was almost due for delivery.
On the 4th of January 1998 she came to the couple's<o:p></o:p>