The spokesperson for the Ashanti Regional Minister, Husein Ibrahim, has stated that the decision for the minister’s wife to give birth in the United Kingdom was not planned but was necessitated by a medical condition.

His comments come in response to public reactions following an announcement by the Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr. Frank Amoakohene, on social media about the birth of his baby boy in the UK.

The announcement generated widespread discussion, with some Ghanaians questioning why the minister’s wife delivered abroad instead of in Ghana, particularly amid ongoing debates about healthcare delivery and recent concerns surrounding the Emergency Unit of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH).

Addressing the issue, Mr. Ibrahim explained that Dr. Amoakohene and his wife had travelled to the UK with plans to return to Ghana before the birth. However, medical advice prevented the minister’s wife from making the journey back home.

According to him, there was only about a week remaining before their scheduled return when the minister contacted him to assist with arrangements for his wife to be exempted from travelling.

“My boss called me to inform me that his wife would not be able to travel back. At the time, I did not know the reason, so I contacted the person handling their travel arrangements. When he returned, he explained that his wife had been diagnosed with Placenta Previa. Any doctor understands the implications of that condition,” Mr. Ibrahim said.

He noted that Placenta Previa is a pregnancy-related condition that can pose serious health risks and often requires close medical supervision, making travel inadvisable in certain cases.

Mr. Ibrahim maintained that the birth in the UK resulted from medical circumstances rather than a deliberate decision to seek childbirth services abroad.

The explanation comes amid public scrutiny over healthcare choices made by public officials and ongoing discussions about the state of healthcare facilities in the country.