The Medical and Dental Council has arrested two fake physicians at the Tamale Technical University Hospital and the Good Morning Clinic at Adentan in Accra.
The two fake physicians were arrested during a routine quality assurance monitoring exercise by the council aimed at ascertaining, among others, the registration status of practitioners and the standard of practice in various institutions across the country.
A statement by the council stated that on Monday July 27, 2020, the team was in the Northern Region and visited various health facilities including the Tamale Technical University Hospital.
During investigations at the Tamale Technical University Hospital, it was noted that one Abdulai Abubakar Sadik, the Clinical Care Coordinator of the facility, is a fake/unregistered physician assistant.
The suspect, who claimed to have graduated in July 2015 with a BSc Certificate in Physician Assistantship from the Central University College in Accra had since been employed and practising at the Tamale Technical University Hospital as physician assistant contrary to law.
The suspect was subsequently arrested with the assistance of the Northern Regional Police Command and is currently on police enquiry bail.
On Friday, 7th August, 2020 the team conducted routine surveillance exercises at various health facilities in the Adentan Municipality and its environs.
At one of the facilities visited, the Good Morning Clinic located at Adentan New Site, the team met one Richard Dzomeku consulting.
Preliminary investigations conducted established that he was not a registered physician assistant.
The team lodged a formal complaint at, and sought assistance from, the Adentan Divisional Headquarters of the Ghana Police Service. The suspect was subsequently arrested. At the time of the arrest there were two (2) patients on admission at the female ward of the facility.
The statement added that in accordance with Council’s commitment to ensure care continuum and the safety of the patients, Council oversaw the evacuation of the two (2) patients to Madina Polyclinic where they were assessed by a medical doctor and managed accordingly.
The suspect is currently in police custody.