The Upper East Youth Movement, a pressure group with a common goal of working in partnership with stakeholders to promote accelerated growth and development of the Upper East Region has called on powerful and influential people to stay away from the ongoing investigation into the alleged case of stolen medications from the Upper East Regional Hospital and possible subsequent prosecutions.
The group stated that, it was deeply saddened about the lack of medications in health facilities across the region, especially the Regional Hospital.
It said, it is extremely worrying that the “No Medication Syndrome in the Hospital has contributed in significant proportions to avoidable and preventable deaths” despite raising critical voices in advocacy and campaign efforts over the years to draw government attention to provide health facilities with essential medications to promote good health care in the region.
Three staff of the Upper East Regional Hospital were arrested in early August 2023, by the Ghana Police Service for allegedly stealing boxes of assorted medicines from the hospital.
The suspects are Raymond Asoke, a 33-year-old driver, Bridget Noeyelle, a 33-year-old assistant dispensary officer, and Raheem Fasilat, a 48-year-old storekeeper at the hospital.
The arrests were made through an intelligence-led operation conducted by the police in the region after a lead investigative work by Media Without Borders’ Edward Adeti.
The Upper East Youth Movement in view of this development embarked on what it called “Peaceful Solidarity Walk” on Friday, August 18, 2023 to register their appreciation to Media Without Borders for the investigative work to uncover faces behind the “No Medication Syndrome” at the hospital and equally demonstrate their satisfaction for the high level of professionalism and responsiveness of the Police Command in getting the suspects in the hospital medicine theft arrested.
The group walked through the principal streets of the regional capital, Bolgatanga to the Regional Police Headquarters with placards with inscriptions “Stealing from the sick is murder, Bravo! Ghana Police in Bolga, Ghana Police do your work without fear or favour, we will name and shame any politician who meddles in the case, until all the bad ones are cleared more avoidable deaths will be recorded” among others.
Presenting the Group’s solidarity statement to the Regional Police Command, Bismarck Adongo Ayorogo, a member of the group urged the police to “cast the net of investigations widely and dig deeper to cover all persons suspected to be accomplices and aiding abetting both demand and supply sides of this suspected criminal enterprise and network”.
He noted that, the management team of the hospital and drug stores in and outside the region especially those issuing invoices and official receipts to aid the illicit medication business should be properly investigated and prosecuted.
He therefore appealed to all powerful and influential people in society especially politicians, traditional and religious leaders who are fond of meddling and peddling influence to bend the curves of true and proper investigations and prosecution of cases to stay away from the case.
Receiving the statement on behalf of the Regional Police Command, the District Police Command ASP Saaed Boakye Yiadom commended the group members for comporting themselves in exercising their constitutional rights, and assured of relaying their concerns and appreciation to the appropriate quarters.
