The incident revolving around Ama Sumani of Ghana, a widowed mother of two had made headlines across the world. She was in Cardiff, Wales, while she was receiving a regular treatment and kidney dialysis to prolong her life. However, her visa had expired and was forced to go back home to Ghana.
Unfortunately, Ghana does not have the drug called thalidomide. That drug was required to prolong Sumani’s life. But now, Sumani has passed away. This is unfortunate as both friends and family brought news hours earlier that they had found doctors in both the UK and South Africa that can treat her.
However, it possibly came hours too late.
Janet Simmons, a friend of Sumani said: “She said she was too tired to fight.” This looks as if Sumani felt tired of fighting and had decided to give up.
Sumani’s time of death was 1600 GMT at the Korle-Bu hospital located in Accra, Ghana. Unfortunately, the hospital was ill-equipped to give Sumani the treatments due to not having the drug. In Ghana, she could not afford the pay the price the hospital asked which would cover her sessions of dialysis. She was getting those treatments from the University Hospital of Wales back in January when she was removed by immigration.
Supporters of Sumani had managed to raise over 70,000 British Pounds.
The Lancet, a leading medical journal called Sumani’s removal from the hospital was both atrocious and barbaric. Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury also gave criticism towards the treatment of Sumani.