A disturbing incident at Mamprobi Polyclinic in Accra on Wednesday, February 18, 2026 has once again raised serious concerns about the safety of newborns and children in Ghana’s health facilities.
According to reports, a woman allegedly disguised herself as a nurse and attempted to steal a baby from the facility. CCTV footage reportedly captured the suspect trying to smuggle the baby out of the hospital. The incident triggered panic among residents, who massed up at the facility as news spread.
In a swift response, security agencies traced the suspect to Kasoa, where the baby was reportedly found and safely rescued. The infant has since been reunited with the mother and is receiving medical attention. The suspect is currently in police custody assisting with investigations.
The Gender Minister, Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, visited the facility following the incident to assess the situation and offer support to the affected family.
Authorities are reviewing the CCTV footage as part of ongoing investigations. While the quick intervention is commendable, the incident exposes troubling lapses in monitoring and hospital security systems.
The Mamprobi case is not an isolated one. In recent years, Ghana has recorded similar incidents of baby theft or attempted child abduction within hospital premises:
in December 2025, a newborn baby boy was allegedly stolen from One Heart Hospital in Tamale. According to police reports, a woman posing as a nurse entered the labour ward and took the baby under the pretext of administering an injection but failed to return. Subsequently, authorities arrested two nurses and a security guard to assist with investigations, while police launched an intensive manhunt for the suspect and the missing baby. Unfortunately, the baby has not been found yet, leaving the family and community in distress.
Similarly, in 2024, another baby theft incident was reported at Tamale Teaching Hospital, where a woman allegedly impersonated a health worker and stole a newborn from the maternity ward. Fortunately, after swift police investigations and public cooperation, the baby was eventually recovered and the suspect arrested.
Earlier, in 2023, a comparable case occurred at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, where a newborn baby was stolen after a suspect posed as a nurse. Through coordinated police efforts and community support, the child was later found and safely returned to the family, while the suspect was apprehended.
In another case in Accra, a woman allegedly attempted to abduct a baby from a maternity ward but was intercepted by vigilant staff and relatives.
Although many of these cases end with the recovery of the child, they reveal a worrying trend.
Several factors may be contributing to the increasing rate of child theft in hospital facilities:
1. Weak enforcement of visiting protocols: Many public hospitals struggle with enforcing strict visiting hours. Overcrowding and pressure from relatives often make it difficult for nurses and security personnel to regulate movement effectively.
2. Poor CCTV Monitoring: While some facilities have installed CCTV cameras, real-time monitoring is often inadequate. In the Mamprobi case, reports suggest cameras captured the act, but monitoring was not active at the time.
3. Impersonation of health workers: Suspects often disguise themselves as nurses or hospital staff, taking advantage of uniforms and the trust families place in medical personnel.
4. Inadequate Security Personnel: Many hospitals lack sufficient trained security officers to monitor all entry and exit points effectively.
5. Public Non-Coorperation: In some cases, relatives intimidate nurses and security personnel when rules are enforced, weakening the system.
The recent incident should serve as a wake-up call. Protecting newborns must be treated as a top national priority.
Relatives must respect hospital rules. Intimidating nurses or security guards for enforcing visiting hours only weakens the system designed to protect patients.
Hospitals should introduce ID badges with photo verification for all staff and possibly visitor passes for relatives.
Installing cameras is not enough. Facilities must ensure 24-hour live monitoring with trained personnel ready to respond immediately.
Families should be educated not to hand babies over to unknown persons, even if they appear to be health workers, without proper verification.
Swift prosecution and stiff penalties for offenders will serve as a deterrent to others.
Hospital security is not solely the responsibility of nurses and guards. It is a shared responsibility between management, staff, patients, and the public.
As we reflect on this incident, let us also examine our behaviour during hospital visits. When nurses and security personnel enforce safety protocols, they are doing so to protect lives.
The recovery of the Mamprobi baby is good news. However, the increasing pattern of such incidents should worry all of us. Ghana’s healthcare facilities must remain safe havens, not grounds for criminal activity.
It is time for stronger systems, stricter enforcement, and collective vigilance to ensure that no mother experiences the trauma of losing her baby within hospital walls again.
Source: kashafmonline.com
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