Mrs Elizabeth Denyoh, President of the Ghana Diabetes Association has denied recent media reports that she undersupplied hospitals with free insulin meant for children with diabetes, labelling it as ’baseless’.
According to her, the said publications were based on information obtained from a group of individuals with questionable character and dubious credentials.
Lawyer for Madam Elizabeth, Alex Abban told the media at a press conference held in Accra that the reportage about her client was borne out of malice and mischievous attempts to tarnish her hard-earned reputation.
According to Mr Abban, eight boxes of insulin were sent to one Dr Ameyaw who is responsible for the Pediatric Diabetes Clinic at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital for delivery but for some "diabolic’’ reasons, the doctor destroyed the waybills and other relevant information that accompanied the consignment, adding that the items were through the hospital’s driver.
Abban further noted that Dr Ameyaw wrote a letter to the Association’s donor partners in Australia that he did not receive the items.
“His motive was to create the impression that either our client had stolen the items or had deliberately refused to send the full complement thereof to appropriate recipients. Little did he know that our client had copies of the waybills and other documents to show that all the goods were actually delivered’’ he told the press.
Abban added that a thorough investigation was conducted into the issue and it was revealed that all the eight boxes were delivered to the doctor on the 22nd January 2016.
According to him, the investigation by the police concluded that Dr Ameyaw stole four hundred and thirty-one vials of insulin which resulted in the shortage.
The lawyer refuted claims by one Mary Danynnor, concerning the shortage of insulin strips adding that the lady is ‘’just’’ the recipient of stock at the adult session of people living with diabetes.
He said the Ghana Diabetes Association was only responsible for diabetic children whose cases were referred to them.
Reacting to the claim of shortage of insulin, the lawyer disclosed that there were 16 boxes of insulin strips left to expire at the Komfo Anokye Teaching hospital.
‘’Mary Daynnor doesn’t work with diabetic children. She works with adults. Mary is just the recipient of stock and the strips she sells are not meant for diabetic children. As we speak, there are 16 boxes of insulin strips that have expired at the Komfo Anokye hospital’’ he added.
Background to the story
Recent media reports alleged that the President of the National Diabetes Association of Ghana, Elizabeth Denyoh undersupplied hospitals with free insulin meant for children with diabetes.
According to the said reports, the Association signed a memorandum of understanding with donor agency, the International Diabetes Federation to provide free insulin for diabetic children under the Life-For-A-Child programme but the diabetes president sold strips and glucometers to patients who are unaware that they should be free.
