Daniel Yartey, businessman and 45, was said to have to introduced himself to the Lord Evangelical church in Koforidua, as a medical doctor from the Surgical Department of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) and offered to provide medical treatment to the ailing members.

However, some of the church members who received treatment from Yartey alias Doctor, later developed complications, due  to medicines they were given.

This, therefore, made a  reverend of the church, Pastor Benjamin Anom suspicious and reported the matter to the Ghana Medical and Dental Council.

The Council in order to investigate the alleged dubious practice of the Yartey, sent an undercover agent, Desmond Asamoah to Yartey for treatment.

Without disappointing, Yartey after listening to Desmond’s complains, diagnosed him of stomach ulcer, and followed up by giving him three injections as well as taking his blood sample for laboratory test.

The alleged quack doctor also prescribed drugs  including 500mg calcium vitamin D3 and paracetamol tablets for the stomach ulcer treatment.

He was alleged to have sealed his trade with a soft copy ID card, which he presents as certified medical practitioner.

Nevertheless, no evidence of the accused was found in the Ghana Medical and Dental Council database.

Yartey has, therefore, been arrested and arraigned before an Accra Circuit Court on 10 different counts, which include Wilfully and falsely using title such as a doctor or addition implying a qualification to practise medicine.

The others are practicing medicine without being registered, receiving payment for the practice of medicine without being registered with the Medicine and Dental Council, operating pharmacy without license by the Pharmacy Council, False claim being qualified to practice as a pharmacist, and being in possession of restricted drugs without lawful authority.

The rest are supply or restricted medicine, forgery of judicial or official document, possessing forged documents, and uttering forged documents.

Yartey has pleaded not guilty to the charged and was remanded yesterday into police custody for two weeks.

The presenting officer, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Evans Kesse told the court presided over by Rosemary Baah Torsu that the Administrative Manager of the Complaints and Investigations Unit of the Ghana Medical and Dental Council, Bright Atsu-Fuglo is the complainant. 

He added that Desmond Asamoah is also an employee of the Ghana Medical and Dental Council attached to the complaints and investigations unit, and he is in the case as a witness and a victim.

The prosecuting officer narrated to the court that the accused, sometime  in June 2022, was reported to the Ghana Medical and Dental Council by Pastor Benjamin Anom and who also is a witness.

In response to the complaint,  he said on July 12, 2022, the complainant made contact with the accused person to seek treatment for his brother and followed up to Yartey pharmacy located at Pokuase with victim Desmond Asamoah for treatment on the next day. 

According to him, after introducing himself as a specialist surgical gynaecologist who practices at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, the accused person settled to consult with victim Desmond Asamoah who complained of stomach pains and was immediately diagnosed him with stomach ulcer. 

The accused person took Desmond’s blood sample for laboratory testing and proceeded to give him three injections on the shoulder through his shirt on the spot. 

The  accused further prescribed to the victim, 40mg omeprazole injection, lufart DS artemether lumefantrin, 750mg rocetil injection, 1000mg amoksiklav tablets, 500mg calcium vitamin D3 and paracetamol tablets, which were supplied from his pharmaceutical shop. 

Yartey charged the victim an amount of GH¢380.00 for the treatment and asked him to continue with the medication.

He also scheduled the victim’s review date to June 20, 2022.

In addition to the earlier medication, the accused later prescribe more medicine for the victim on Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital prescription form and an excused duty for five days, which was stamped with KBTH Surgical Department stamp, dated July 15, 2022. 

Interestingly, all of the engagements that the accused had with the victim were captured on video secretly. 

The complainant, after establishing the identity of the suspect as well as checks confirming that the accused was neither registered nor licensed to practise medicine, reported the matter to the police.

The prosecutor said on October 4, 2022, the accused was arrested in his pharmacy at Pokuase and on the spot search in the pharmacy led to the retrieval of several restricted medicines, with some partially dispensed. 

Furthermore, he added the police also found a stethoscope, KBTH stamp and its prescription forms, several used and empty bottles of injectable medicines, used intravenous infusion lines, used syringes, used camulars, blood sugar test kits, one touch delicate plus, used Ministry of Health prescription forms, sphygmomano metre, Galiva blood sugar test kit, used rapid malaria test kits among others. 

ASP Kesse indicated that the police extended the search to the accused person’s home, and they found a photograph of the accused in his hall adorned with a stethoscope, pelvic USG scan report and a photo ID card with the inscription: “Dr Daniel Yartey, surgical gynea dept. Specialist. S/No: 1168. 0552383409.”

According to the prosecutor,”During questioning, the accused person confessed that he was neither licensed nor registered to practice medicine.

 “He also confessed having injected his sick clients with medicines he knew nothing about. He further confessed having forged the logo and letterhead himself but declined to tell the police how he came by the Korle-Bu teaching Hospital prescription forms.”

The accused was also alleged to have said that he has no license to operate pharmacy.

Yartey, allegedly, admitted all the offences. 

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