Boy, 14, Sues Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital

By William Yaw Owusu.

Friday, 05 May 2006
A 14-YEAR-OLD boy has filed a suit against the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, claiming ¢800 million damages for negligence.

The suit in addition, seeks “other special damages” being the cost of treatment, drugs and transportation, totalling ¢9.4 million.

The suit, filed at the Accra Fast Track High Court through the boy’s mother, Gladys Dasko, cites the governing board of the hospital as well as Dr Kennedy Addo, Dr Korpisah and Dr Agbeko, all employees of Korle-Bu, for a “wrongful operation” they conducted on him in September, last year.

The suit said the doctors had operated on the boy’s left knee instead of the right, after he was diagnosed of a torn patella ligament.

Furthermore, according to the suit, his father suffered a cardiac arrest and died as a result of the doctors’ negligence.

A statement of claim filed by the plaintiff’s counsel, Thomas Hughes, said the boy “is an aspiring professional footballer while the hospital enjoys international reputation as far as their services are concerned.”

As a result of the operation, the statement said, the boy is unable to walk properly and cannot go to school without the aid of clutches.

It said in May 2005, the boy had a painful right knee and reported to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital for treatment.