For six years, he was harassed and subjected to extreme humiliation, put through clinical examination under duress, on claims that he had a psychiatric condition.
Eventually and unjustly, he was dismissed from the Ghana Health Service in 2012.
The woes of Dr Francis Ibrahim-Betonsi, a medical officer, started at the Effia Nkwanta Hospital in the Western Region, when he was serving as a Senior House Officer.
He recounted that on June 2, 2009 while on duty at the Diabetic Clinic/OPD of the hospital, he had a misunderstanding with a female nurse who assaulted him, inflicting injuries on his chest through biting.
He then reported the matter to the Medical Director of the hospital, where a disciplinary committee was established to look into the matter. To his surprise, management of the hospital directed him to undertake a psychiatric examination.
On June 4, 2009, he again reported the same nurse to the Medical Director of the facility, Dr. Paul Kwaw Ntodi, for her unlawful engagements in consulting and prescribing drugs, selling non drug consumables and charging consultation fees for personal gains.
“She did all these things whilst not being a licensed or certified prescriber”, Dr Ibrahim-Betonsi stated.
Subsequently, Dr Francis Ibrahim-Betonsi had to make another report to the Medical Director, concerning other forms of conspiracies against him, including how the nurses who were supposed to work with him on June 4, 2009 boycotted work after he had been called by one Dr. Richard Anthony to come and assist at the Diabetic Clinic that day.
In spite of all these machinations against him, which he reported to the medical director to address, Dr. Ibrahim-Betonsi was shocked to the marrow, when he was rather the one to bear the brunt.
According to him, he was compelled to undergo three psychiatric assessments because he had been labeled by some staff of the hospital as the ‘mad doctor’.
He said after he accepted and submitted himself for the psychiatric examination, he was cleared of all the tests.
Strangely, however, on December 13, 2012 he was dismissed from the Ghana Health Service. A letter written to Dr Ibrahim-Betonsi by the then Acting Regional Director of Health Service in the Western Region, Dr Kwaku Anin Karikari read:
“SUSPENSION FROM DUTY WITHOUT SALARY -DR. FRANCIS IBRAHIM BETONSI – HOUSE OFFICER
Kindly refer to the attached letter No. GHS/DGS/R.6 dated 29th November, 2012 from the office of the Director-General, Ghana Health Service, on the decision of the Ghana Health Service Council.
On the authority of the said letter, I formally write to suspend you from duty without salary and the suspension will remain in force until you comply with the directive to undergo psychiatric evaluation and treatment as recommended by the external investigators.
You are, hereby, relieved of all official assignments with effect from Monday 17th December, 2012.
The Medical Director, Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital is by a copy of this letter, requested to suspend your name on the government payroll until further directives from this office”.
The author of Dr Ibrahim-Betonsi’s suspension letter, copied the Medical Director, Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital and the Deputy Director, Clinical Care said.
In an interview with The Chronicle, Dr. Ibrahim-Betonsi, who is now working at the Upper East Regional Hospital in Bolgatanga, lamented that his wrongful dismissal affected his promotion, his career path, social and family life.
Aside what he describes as humiliation and torture by his employer, the Ghana Health Service, prior to his dismissal and during the six-year period he sat at home, so much harm has been caused to his contribution to the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT).
He recounted that the decision by the GHS to dismiss him was completely against his human rights and also contrary to the Labour Laws of Ghana, thus the National Labour Law should intervene on his behalf to help him get his compensation, SSNIT contributions and right promotion.
According to him, he had personally petitioned the NLC in writing on four occasions but it never responded to his letter until he instructed his legal representative to write to the commission before the commission wrote to the Ghana Health Service to respond.
However, the GHS, rather in a bizarre manner, wrote and dismissed him.
Dr. Ibrahim-Betonsi told this reporter, since 2012, that he is still at the Human Rights Court 2 in Accra, seeking compensation and damages for the injustices meted out to him.
From William Nlanjerbor JALULAH, Bolgatanga
