A patient receiving treatment at the Awutu Beraku Health Centre died on Wednesday, January 21, after collapsing while returning from buying water at the nearby Breku lorry station.
The man, who is yet to be identified but believed to be in his 50s, collapsed beside a parked truck in front of the Awutu Beraku Police Station, barely 15 metres from the health facility, after purchasing sachet water.
Eyewitnesses said that although some people rushed to alert both the police and staff of the health centre, no immediate medical intervention was provided before the man died.
Some witnesses indicated that health workers initially believed the patient had absconded from the facility.
According to one eyewitness, the man collapsed shortly after drinking the water.
“He came to buy water from my sister and collapsed right after drinking it. My sister ran to inform the nurses, but they said the man’s folder was there and they thought he had absconded,” the witness said.
“Four police officers later came, but there was still no response from the nurses until the man struggled and died. He had a plaster and a cannula on his arm.”
Residents who witnessed the incident have condemned what they described as a poor response by both health workers and the police, calling for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death.
One resident said, “He came to buy water and collapsed. We called both the police and the nurses, but no one helped him until he died. This issue must be looked into.”
Another resident added that police officers who arrived at the scene did not render assistance but instead asked motorbike riders to carry the man.
“The government must institute a probe into the conduct of both the nurses and the police,” the resident said.
Meanwhile, the police have conveyed the body to the mortuary for preservation, pending the identification and arrival of the deceased’s family.
