Negligence cause of St Monica’s SHS student’s death?
The board of the St Monica’s Senior High School (SHS) at Asante Mampong has recommended a reshuffle of the housemistresses of the school.
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The board among others also asked for proper record keeping, frequent house meetings with students and an audit of the washrooms.
The recommendations follow the death of a 17-year-old student, Miss Patience Amanyi at the Mampong Hospital on May 16, 2023.
According the deceased’s family, her death was due to negligence on the part of the management of the school.
The family alleged that Patience reported sick but the school authorities did not show interest in taking care of her and was virtually in the care of her colleague students.
When her condition worsened, the family alleged that her school mates took her to the Mampong Hospital where she died.
School board investigation
Graphic Online understands that the board of the school after a preliminary investigation in collaboration with the old students association established that the headmistress does not know what goes on in the various dormitories.
“She does not have close contact with the students, there are no meetings with the house mistresses, the lines of communications between the heads are inadequate,” a report from the meeting between the board, the management and the old students association seen by Graphic Online stated.
A report presented to the board by the headmistress on the incident has been dismissed on the grounds that, it contained a lot of discrepancies and inaccurate information.
What happened?
A source has told Graphic Online that on Saturday, May 13, 2023, Patience Amanyi complained of a headache and asked for an exeat to go to the hospital because the school infirmary is closed on weekends.
According to the source, the exeat was granted and Patience went to the Mampong General Hospital.
When Patience returned from the hospital, the house mistress refused to accept the exeat form because it had not been signed by the hospital.
The house mistress reportedly told the board that she thought Patience would return to the hospital to have the exeat form signed.
Although Patience still felt unwell, she was not immediately given an exeat to return to the hospital, the source added.
Patience could not stay in the dormitory and had to be carried to classes. On May 15, one of her teachers noted in class that she was very sick and asked her to return to the hospital.
The source said Patience went for another exeat on Tuesday May 16, from the second housemistress.
It said the house mistress did not even see Patience but gave the exeat to the Prefect accompanying Patience to the hospital through the window because she (house mistress) was busy.
It said at 7:30pm, the prefect together with two other students took Patience to the hospital. At the hospital, the students called the house mistress to let her know Patience’s case was serious.
The source said the house mistress then informed the Senior Housemistress who also called the Assistant Head for Domestic to go to the hospital. They were at the hospital till Patience was declared dead around 9:30pm.
Doctor’s diagnosis
The doctor’s diagnosis stated “Hypoglycaemia, Acute infective gastroenteritis with severe dehydration complicated by shock, Cerebral malaria with focal seizures.”
The doctor also indicated that Patience came in, comatose.
Patience has since been laid to rest.
