The Secretary-General of the Ghana Federation of Labour (GFL), Dr Abraham Koomson, is demanding answers from the government and management of the International Maritime Hospital (iMah) in Tema over the operation of its Intensive Care Unit (ICU), following the death of his 44-year-old son, Ellis Koomson.
Dr Koomson is seeking clarification on the circumstances surrounding the management of the hospital’s ICU, which he claims is outsourced to a private medical team, despite the facility being a government-owned health institution.
In a statement detailing his family’s experience, he said his son was admitted to the hospital’s Emergency Unit on August 6, 2026, before being transferred to the ICU on the same day.
According to him, the family was informed that the ICU was an outsourced unit managed by a private medical team.
Faced with the urgency of his son’s medical condition, the family accepted the arrangement and agreed to pay a daily fee of more than GH¢34,000 to secure the necessary medical attention.
However, Ellis Koomson passed away on August 19, 2026, after spending nearly two weeks at the hospital.
An invoice issued by Ares Centre of Excellence, dated August 18, 2026, and attached to Dr Koomson’s account, indicates that the outstanding medical bill stood at GH¢317,939.25.
The invoice lists GH¢96,000 for ICU medical and nursing attention, GH¢23,134.65 for consumables, GH¢32,250 for admission, GH¢6,000 for administration, GH¢116,779.22 for pharmacy services, GH¢10,903 for laboratory investigations and GH¢32,872.38 for hospital services and procedures.
The amount has raised questions from Dr Koomson about the financial arrangements governing the ICU and the accountability of the private medical team operating within the public health facility.
He is consequently calling for investigations into what he describes as three critical areas: the privatisation of the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit, public accessibility to the facility and the medical team’s compliance with Ghana Health Service standards and professional ethics.
Dr Koomson believes these issues require urgent clarification to establish whether the arrangement is consistent with the standards expected of a government health facility.
He is therefore seeking answers from the relevant authorities regarding the contractual arrangements, regulatory oversight and operational standards governing the outsourced ICU.
His concerns have also brought renewed attention to the need for transparency and accountability in the management of public healthcare facilities, particularly where private entities are engaged to provide essential medical services.