The University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) has pushed back against claims made by Ghanaian-American comedian Michael Blackson over the treatment of his late mother, saying his account contains several inaccuracies. Blackson’s 83-year-old mother died at the medical centre on July 16, 2026, after spending several weeks there. The comedian later raised concerns about the care she received, including alleged misdiagnosis, poor communication with the family and the cost of her treatment.
His comments, which were made on social media on August 4, also raised questions about whether the amount of money paid for his mother’s treatment could have influenced decisions made during her care. UGMC has now responded, but the medical centre says it cannot publicly go into the details of the case because of patient confidentiality.
UGMC says Blackson’s account is inaccurate
According to the medical centre, Blackson’s mother was referred to UGMC from another hospital and was admitted on May 27. She remained at the facility until her death on July 16, making her stay approximately eight weeks.In its response, UGMC said the version of events presented by Blackson on social media did not accurately represent what happened during his mother’s treatment.
The centre said it had carefully reviewed the concerns raised by the comedian but maintained that it could not disclose specific information about the patient’s diagnosis, treatment or medical records.UGMC explained that the restriction remains in place even after a patient’s death because of its responsibility to protect confidential medical information and respect the dignity of the deceased and her family.This means the medical centre has chosen not to publicly respond to each of Blackson’s individual allegations with details from his mother’s medical records.
Hospital rejects suggestion that money influenced treatment
One of the concerns raised by Blackson was the amount reportedly spent on his mother’s treatment. He said the family paid about GH¢250,000 during a period of roughly one month and questioned whether financial considerations had played a role in the care she received. UGMC rejected any suggestion that financial issues influence its medical decisions.
The centre said clinical decisions are made by qualified healthcare professionals based on medical judgment, accepted standards of care and what is considered to be in the best interest of the patient.
Where necessary, the hospital said such decisions are made with the involvement and consent of authorised family representatives.
UGMC also stressed that its financial and clinical operations are separate. According to the medical centre, its billing processes are governed by institutional policies and operate independently from decisions concerning patient treatment.
However, the statement did not provide a breakdown of the reported GH¢250,000 expenditure or publicly address the individual charges associated with Blackson’s mother’s treatment.
Hospital maintains position on family concerns
Blackson had also spoken about communication between his family and medical staff, as well as an incident involving his sister and a male nurse. The comedian’s account has generated public discussion about the experience of patients and their relatives in Ghanaian hospitals, particularly in cases where treatment lasts for several weeks and involves significant financial costs.
UGMC, for its part, said the concerns had been reviewed and that the facts presented publicly by Blackson contained inaccuracies.The medical centre also referred an allegation involving an assault to the police, although details of that matter were not provided in the information released by the hospital.
The disagreement between Blackson and UGMC goes beyond one family and one hospital. It has again brought attention to the difficult questions that can arise when patients undergo prolonged treatment and families are left trying to understand medical decisions, bills and communication with healthcare providers.
For hospitals, protecting patient confidentiality is a professional and ethical responsibility. For families, however, understanding what happened during a loved one’s treatment can be equally important, particularly after an unexpected death.
In Blackson’s case, the two sides now have clearly different accounts of his mother’s treatment. UGMC has disputed key parts of his allegations but says it cannot reveal confidential medical information to publicly defend every aspect of its care.
With the hospital maintaining its position and Blackson’s concerns already in the public domain, attention is likely to remain on how the dispute develops and whether any further clarification can be provided without breaching patient confidentiality.
