The Fourth Estate turns down invitation to attend to Health Minister’s Committee investigating Medical Kalabule: Here’s why?

The Fourth Estate has declined to appear before the Committee constituted by the Health Minister to investigate the financial exploitation of vulnerable patients in some hospitals in the country.

The Committee, in a letter dated February 4, 2026, and signed by the Chief Director of the Ministry of Health, invited the team at The Fourth Estate to assist them with the investigations. The invitation entreated the team to “come along with any documents and other materials that are relevant to the subject matter of the investigations”.

The Seven-member Committee was constituted by the Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, on January 29, 2026, following The Fourth Estate’s publication of its documentary titled Medical Kalabule. The documentary exposed the exploitative and unethical practices of some doctors in prominent hospitals in Ghana, who allegedly fleeced desperate patients seeking healthcare in their facilities.  The Committee is expected to submit its final report and recommendations by February 10, 2026.

The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), the organisation that runs The Fourth Estate, in a letter signed by its Executive Director, turned down the invitation of the Committee, citing concerns about its composition and how it creates actual and perceived conflict of interest. The MFWA also pointed out how the absence of representatives from certain regulatory bodies in the health sector on the Committee raises credibility concerns.

The MFWA, in its response, further doubted how the Committee could comprehensively investigate the issues within the short period of time provided for it to conclude its work, given how widespread and systemic the exploitation and unethical practices are in Ghana’s health sector.

The MFWA concluded in the letter that it has decided to submit the pieces of evidence available to The Fourth Estate to the Office of the Special Prosecutor and other statutory investigative bodies.

Below is the Media Foundation for West Africa’s response to the invitation of the Minister of Health to appear before the investigative Committee.

YOU MAY WANT TO READ:

Medical Kalabule: Inside Ridge Hospital’s Prescription Scam [Part one]

Medical Kalabule 2: When Doctors Profit from Patients’ Desperation

Medical Kalabule: Ministry of Health to set up probe committee, The Fourth Estate pledges support

Medical Kalabule: Inside Ridge Hospital’s System That Exploits Patients [Part One]