The Minister of Health, Dr. Kwaku Afriyie, on Thursday denied that a 31-year-old mother died on the operating table at the Ridge Hospital in Accra following a power cut.

A statement signed by the Minister said he has personally checked the authenticity of the story carried by a newspaper, Insight and found it to be untrue. He said his contact with the Acting Medical Superintendent of the Hospital, Dr. Eric Asamoa confirmed that no death has occurred on the operating table since August 2001 and there is no record of a 31-year-old mother dying in the theatre.

Dr Afriyie said it would be unusual for someone to die on the operating table as a result of a power cut as the operating light in the theatre at the Ridge Hospital has an in-built back-up battery which retains light for 45 minutes after power cut.

"In addition, the monitoring system of the anaesthetist machine in the theatre also has a back-up which monitors the patient's condition for sometime after the lights go off." Dr. Afriyie admitted that the hospital is in dire need of a functioning generator and a request has been made to the Ghana Health Service. The Director-General of the Service is in the process of procuring one for the hospital, he said.