A heartbreaking case of alleged medical negligence at the Hohoe Government Hospital, has left a baby’s hand amputated.
The child’s father, Joel Ofori, and uncle appeared on Angel FM’s ‘Anɔpa Bɔfoɔ’, on Thursday, May 14, 2026, recounting how their premature baby’s condition worsened due to alleged delays and neglect at the hospital.
Report by the family members indicated that the baby’s mother, a student midwife, was preparing for her final exams on April 15 when she delivered the baby prematurely at the Volta Regional Hospital, Hohoe.
According to Mr. Ofori, the baby was placed in an incubator due to her fragile state. He mentioned that he had earlier requested that the baby be transferred to Accra, where the family reside. The attending doctor attempted to locate a NICU facility but was unable to secure a bed.
He said after a week in the incubator, the mother noticed the baby’s two middle fingers on her left hand had turned blue while breastfeeding, and alerted a nurse, who subsequently removed the canular that had been placed on the baby’s hand.
By the following day, the discolouration had spread across the baby’s hand, and she promptly alerted the pediatrician, one Dr. Ashly, who dismissed her concerns, saying “she’s a baby, it will subside and she will heal.”
As indicated by Mr. Ofori, after discolouration worsened, the hospital began to make referral arrangements and were eventually directed to the Greater Accra Regional Hospital (Ridge).
Upon arrival at Ridge, the family was informed that no prior communication had been received from the Hohoe Government Hospital.
Ridge declined admission and referred the baby to Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, which admitted the baby and explained that the referral was for consultation with a plastic surgeon for further management.
The family refused to buy the idea of the baby’s hand being amputated and requested an alternative.
However, the baby’s condition had already deteriorated, and had led to dry gangrene (a condition where tissue dies due to lack of blood supply, causing the affected area to dry out and turn black).
The family lamented that despite their concerns, the plastic surgeons refused to explore alternatives to amputation, saying the child “belonged to the state” and that they would “proceed with the amputation even without the parents’ consent.”
The baby’s hand was eventually amputated.
The family has taken steps to seek justice, petitioning the Ghana Health Service, Health Facilities Regulatory Agency, Medical and Dental Council, and Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice, demanding accountability and action.
As stated in their letter, “The prospect of the child living with a lifelong disability is deeply distressing, with implications for her education, future opportunities, and the likelihood of costly surgeries in the future.”
The Ghana Health Service and relevant authorities are expected to investigate and address the incident.
