Lawmakers are demanding stricter security protocols in health facilities nationwide following the abduction of a four-day-old baby from the postnatal ward of Mamprobi Polyclinic in Accra.
The incident, which has sparked public concern and tension at the facility, has reignited debate over patient safety standards in both public and private hospitals.
Raising the matter on the floor of Parliament, Comfort Doyoe Cudjoe, Member of Parliament for Ada, commended the swift intervention of the Ghana Police Service, whose actions led to the safe rescue of the infant and the arrest of the suspect. She, however, stressed that the situation exposed critical security lapses that must be urgently addressed.
The suspect allegedly entered the postnatal ward disguised as a nurse and left with the baby, who had been born just four days earlier. CCTV footage reportedly captured the woman wrapping the infant in cloth before exiting the facility and fleeing on a motorbike.
Authorities were alerted after the suspect contacted her sister, claiming she had delivered a baby. The sister, doubting the claim, informed the police, leading to the suspect’s arrest by officers from the Dansoman Police. The newborn was safely recovered and reunited with his mother.
The episode triggered anger among relatives of the baby, who confronted hospital staff over what they described as negligence and inadequate security supervision.
Members of Parliament are now urging hospital administrators to strengthen surveillance systems, enforce stricter visitor identification protocols and tighten access controls in maternity and postnatal wards to prevent similar breaches.
The suspect remains in police custody and is expected to face prosecution, while calls grow louder for a comprehensive review of safety measures across the country’s health facilities.
