Accra, Jan. 21, GNA – Susan Clinic, a private health centre, owned by Dr. Hope Mensah Quashie, who is said to be involved in “baby harvesting/human trafficking”, has been “shut down”.
The facility, located at Mataheko-Lartehbiokorshie, looked deserted with no human activity when the Ghana News Agency (GNA), visited on Thursday at about 1000 hours.
The GNA saw the main entrance opened but the door to the reception was locked under key.
Dr. Quashie, who also works at the 37 Military Hospital, was arrested on Thursday, December 31, 2020, at the private health facility, over an alleged sale of a baby boy to a team for an amount of GHS30,000.00 in October 2020, in a joint operation by the Medical and Dental Council (MDC) and the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), in Accra.
GNA gathered that patronage of the facility, which offers a 24-hour service in laboratory assistance, family planning, antenatal and postnatal care, general practices, scan, and video services, went low following the arrest of Dr. Quarshie and later closed down “unofficially”.
Some clients of the Clinic in the neighbourhood said the facility, which had been in existence for many years, was never known or suspected of any form of illegality.
A resident, Mrs Angela Akosua Quartey, who had lived in the area for over 15 years, said the Clinic had been in operation before she relocated to the area.
“It was just this morning that we heard the Clinic was selling babies. For years, I have personally not known of this and I am very shocked,” she added.
Mr Andani Yakubu, a client of the Clinic said: “I couldn’t believe the news when I heard and saw it on TV. I often take my sister who has a blood pressure problem to the Clinic and sometimes their services are good, other times, unsatisfactory but I know that is normal in many health facilities in Ghana”.
Dr. Quashie, was arrested with three nurses – Sylvia Awuseh, John Adorey Effie, and Angela Ametepe, who were all identified as accomplices together with one Dede Gifty Anikpi, a traditional birth attendant at Bethlehem Maternity Home at Santoe, a suburb of Kpone Katamanso, who referred the mother of the baby to the Susan Clinic.
The joint investigation team from the MDC and EOCO also arrested Mr Leonard Agbley, a Social Welfare Officer, on December 31, 2020, after the suspect agreed to help them to purchase a new-born baby for a sum of GH¢28,000.00.
He allegedly led them to other suspects who were to help in the sale of the babies and subsequently unintentionally aided the investigators to apprehend the suspects.
The investigation team also arrested Dr. Noah Kofi Lartey of the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, who operates a private hospital called Dangbe Community Hospital, in a separate operation on Tuesday, January 5, 2021, involving the sale of another boy.
Mothers of the two babies have also been arrested
A statement jointly signed by Dr. Divine N. Banyubala, the Acting Registrar of the Medical and Dental Council (MDC), and Commissioner of Police Frank Adu-Poku (Rtd), the Executive Director of the EOCO, said both babies were currently in safe custody and being properly taken care of, pending further investigations.
GNA