Board members of St. Monica’s Senior High School have expressed worry over the death of a 17-year-old student on May 16, 2023, at the Mampong General Hospital in the Ashanti region.
The deceased, Patience Amanyi, was rushed to the hospital by a school prefect and two other students but was later declared dead.
According to a close source, the school board, following its investigations, noted that the headmistress’s report on the issue contained a lot of discrepancies and inaccurate information.
Narrating the issue that caused the unfortunate death of the student, the source said, “On Saturday, May 13th, Patience asked for an exeat to go to the hospital after complaining of headaches, as the school infirmary is closed on weekends. The exeat was granted, and Patience went to the Mampong General unaccompanied by any adult; her parents were also not informed.
“When she returned from the hospital because the exeat form had not been signed by the hospital, the housemistress refused to accept it and asked the student to keep it. (The housemistress claimed that she thought Patience would return to the hospital to have it signed.) At the hospital, Patience was given treatment for malaria.
“Patience was still unwell and was even vomiting. She was not given an exeat to return to the hospital. She could not also stay in the dormitory and had to be carried to classes. One of her teachers noticed in class on Monday that she was very sick and asked her to return to the hospital.
“On Tuesday 16th May, Patience returned to the second housemistress, Pamela, for an exeat. The House Mistress told her to ask the Prefect to accompany her to the hospital to pick up the exeat. She didn’t even see Patience. She gave the exeat to the Prefect through the window because, according to her, she was busy.
“At 7:30 pm the Prefect carried Patience on her back from Roseveare House to the School Gate. There were two other students who accompanied the prefect to take Patience to the hospital. The girls called the Housemistress from the hospital and reported that the case was serious. She then informed the Senior Housemistress who then called the Assistant Head for Domestic, and all of them went to the hospital to see the student. They were at the hospital till she was declared dead at 9:30 pm.” The Source noted
According to the source, the doctor’s report revealed that the student’s death was caused by hypoglycemia, acute infective gastroenteritis with severe dehydration complicated by shock, and cerebral malaria with focal seizures.
The board’s effort to probe the school prefect and the two girls who accompanied Patience to the hospital proved futile as the management of the school claimed the students had left the campus.
However, the management could not give a proper account of their whereabouts since none of them had been given an exeat to go home.
The source also noted that at a meeting, board members suggested a delegation go meet Patience’s family, so legal action is not taken against the school.
