And so the woman finally died. Some would say that although she was only finally medically certified dead on Wednesday 19 March 2008, she actually died on the 9 January 2008 when she was deported by the UK authorities to Ghana, for breaching UK immigration rules. The sad and tragic case of Ms Sumani is an indictment of not only the inhuman nature of the UK approach to immigration deportation, but also, and in my opinion, more importantly, a serious indictment of the irresponsible leadership that the continent of Africa has been largely cursed with.

Ms Sumani first came to the UK as a visitor in 2003. During the course of her stay as a visitor, she obtained a student visa to study at a city college, even though she was not sufficiently proficient in English language to carry out the studies. As a result of this language limitation, she had to abandon the study and began to work full time, in contravention of the conditions of her student visa. In 2005 she lost her husband who was then living in Ghana. She went to Ghana to attend his funeral. Upon her return to the UK in 2005, her student’s visa was revoked and she was given notice of deportation back to Ghana. She then subsequently failed to keep in touch with immigration authorities until 2006 when she fell ill and was diagnosed with cancer.

Her attempts to remain in the UK were abortive after the court ruled that deportation to Ghana would not breach her fundamental human rights. Her solicitors made representation to the UK authorities urging them to exercise their discretion to allow her to stay for medical treatment in the UK on compassionate grounds. This appeal also fell on dear ears. She was finally removed to Ghana on the 9 January 2008 to painfully await certain death. Ms Sumani suffered from malignant myeloma, which could be treated by a bone marrow transplant. However because of her immigration status, she was not entitled to this treatment. She had been placed on daily dialysis until she was deported to Ghana.

There is no doubt that the UK authorities had behaved disgracefully. Indeed the respected UK medical journal, Lancet criticised the decision to deport Ms Sumani calling it an act of ‘atrocious barbarism’ and got hundreds of medical doctors to petition the government to reverse its decision. However blaming the UK for an aspect of its immigration rules, no matter how atrocious that rule is, is beside the point. We ought to be asking ourselves that how come the countries in sub-Sahara Africa are still unable to feed, clothes and treat their citizens after decades of self rule, and despite the abundance of resources in those countries. What efforts were made by the Ghanaian authorities to come to the aid of Ms Sumani? What affordable medical treatments are available for hundreds, perhaps thousands of other Ghanaians who suffer from similar medical conditions?

There are only two specialist hospitals in Ghana equipped to deal with the ailment suffered by Ms Sumani. When she arrived in Accra and was taken to one of the hospitals, they demanded a down payment of $6000.00 for a three months treatment and would not treat her without such deposit. She of course had no such fund and she had to be moved to her village in the northern part of Ghana where she hoped to survive by prayer and miracle. The Ghanaian authorities did nothing to support her. A country is also defined by how it treats her indigent and sick citizens. Ghana celebrated 50 years of independence last year, yet it has no health care programme to take care of the terminally sick in an affordable manner. The same applies to Nigeria and other countries in West Africa, whose leaders routinely come to Europe for such life-threatening ailments like broken leg whilst poor souls like Ms Sumani are left to depend on herbalists and sundry other spiritual charlatans.

The UK might have behaved in a despicable manner by deporting Ms Sumani, but in truth, it has no obligation or responsibility to Ms Sumani - she was neither a UK citizen nor living in the UK legally. The country that had primary duty of care and responsibility to her was the Federal Republic of Ghana. It has failed in general term by not having a system of adequate health care in place to take care of the poor who suffer from terminal conditions. It has also failed in the specific case of Ms Sumani by not coming to her aid, even for propaganda purpose.  Any publicity benefit of hosting a football jamboree has been negated by the way and manner Ghana allowed citizen Ama Sumani to die in such a cruel and cheap manner.

Adebayo Kareem, a solicitor lives in London

Robot  # 1 | 21.03.2008 23:52

And so the woman finally died. Some would say that although she was only finally medically ...Read the full article.

afasodewu  # 2 | 22.03.2008 00:01

What a shame on England and Ghana!

pappilo  # 3 | 22.03.2008 02:34

Not really a shame on the UK authorities but a shame on the Ghanian government! I remember the Ghanian foreign minister asking the UK to rethink their decision and allow the Lady back into the UK, what a joke. Like was pointed out by the writer, the Ghanian Government is happy to spend millions on a football jamboree but is not prepared to spend $6000 to prolong Mrs Sumanis life even though it is an exceptional case. Shame! shame! shame!

aguabata  # 4 | 22.03.2008 05:54

how many cancer patients are in ghana? so the ghananian government should start paying the bills of all cancer patients? is it sustainable? what would they gain by making sumani an exception? to show UK they are powerful? to show UK they can take care of their own? when they depend on aid from them.Even America's health care system will do very little for sumani if she doesnt have medical insurance. Yes we can criticise Ghana and indeed many countries of the world not only in Africa of not having a good health programme but my criticism goes to the UK because like their cousins America they have elected themselves to be super powers of the world. An as global leaders should not shy away from magnanimity.

Bode_Boluz  # 5 | 22.03.2008 07:34

I am really sadden by this turn of events. It is a black mark on both Ghana and the UK. While both had reasons for doing what they did, the most important issue of human compassion was lacking on both sides. This is a sad indictment of the medical infrastructure of Sub Sahara Africa. It shows that at its core is the need for profit above people. This Woman did not need to go through what she endured. Patients only have value if they can personally pay for treatment. Well the same exists all over the world if you want quicker treatment here in the UK you pay for it. It is not necessarily better as was highlighted in a few government reports into Private medical services, but at least there are options open to all. It is also an area where the Government is to really be blamed. In the UK the Central, regional and local governments are all responsible for hefty health care budgets. The famous National health service, (NHS), copied by many nations, has so many services it is a wonder sometimes how they cope and manage. The primary core of this system is people first. The UK believes that General health care, unlike the US emphasis on emergency health care, is a key to successful productivity and development. Realistically, no money spent wisely on health care is wasted. Look at Cuba. The little revenue they do have is heavily invested in their health services. It is a sad sad situation that even an organised emergency medical programme is not in place to save the thousands of Nigerian or Ghanaians who fall sick or have accidents daily. I saw this on the BBC web site with regards to the Argungu Fishing Festival This is an ambulance and EMT looking after the injured at the event... I have cannot find any other pictures of EMT activity at the event. Does anyone else have any?? This is in stark contrast to what is readily available FOR FREE to us in the UK... 24/7 where ever you are located on land sea or air. Well Trained and Motivated Paramedics Well maintained.. ...Well equipped... ...and up to date vehicles Motorcycle Response EMT services, ( Yes Okada!!) CIVILIAN Air Ambulances for Major Emergencies... Even the Military make their EMT resource available in times of emergency To compliment routine training, there are Training Simulation Facilities. Do not believe me? Oh it is just in London... Well check out Oxfordshire. Until Fellow Nigerians/Ghanaians both in the public and private medical sectors, start to value the lives of the citizenry regardless of status, things in the country will continue to stagnate. So wake up and start making changes!!!

pappilo  # 6 | 22.03.2008 08:49

=aguabata;4294998269>how many cancer patients are in ghana? so the ghananian government should start paying the bills of all cancer patients? is it sustainable? what would they gain by making sumani an exception? to show UK they are powerful? to show UK they can take care of their own? Backward thinking my friend. Dont you ask yourself; how come the UK government is able to take care of its own sick people? Why cant the Ghanian government strive to achieve this? It chooses to pour millions of dollars into useless ventures i.e Nations cup that have very little if anything to offer the ordinary man. If the UK government chanelled most of its resources into hosting meaningless events they wouldnt have the NHS Mrs Sumani came to rely on in her time of need. What is the UK to gain by making Sumani an exception (showing magnaminity as you say)? Send out the wrong signals to health tourist that The Uk is a soft touch?

truthsayer33  # 7 | 22.03.2008 09:16

some people don't understand what being an independent country means....you can't blame the UK for the abject failure of leadership in your various lootocracies. I laughed my head off when I heard the Ghana High Commissioner demanding that the UK government should not deport this unfortunate woman. The good news part of this story is that many British and Ghanaian people paid for her treatment in Ghana.She did not die in a prayer hut in the bush.

RAYNOSA  # 8 | 22.03.2008 09:24

Bode_Boluz, Thanks for these photographs. It beats me when/ why some of us congratulate these people who can not and will not provide such services to us back home. Yet they fly here when they have headache.

denker  # 9 | 22.03.2008 09:58

Arise O! Compatriots and shout it LOUD! GOD DAMN NIGERIA AND HER LEADERSHIP FOR TREATING HER PEOPLE WITH COMTEMPT GOD DAMN NIGERIA AND HER LEADERSHIP FOR TREATING HER PEOPLE WITH COMTEMPT GOD DAMN NIGERIA AND HER LEADERSHIP FOR TREATING HER PEOPLE WITH COMTEMPT Arise O! Compatriots and shout it LOUD!

RAYNOSA  # 10 | 22.03.2008 10:33

=denker;4294998302>Arise O! Compatriots and shout it LOUD! GOD DAMN NIGERIA AND HER LEADERSHIP FOR TREATING HER PEOPLE WITH COMTEMPT GOD DAMN NIGERIA AND HER LEADERSHIP FOR TREATING HER PEOPLE WITH COMTEMPT GOD DAMN NIGERIA AND HER LEADERSHIP FOR TREATING HER PEOPLE WITH COMTEMPT Arise O! Compatriots and shout it LOUD! Papa Denker Thanks for your post not only GOD including all the oracle na im go punish these people generation. Yet if they wan swear them in them go hold BIBLE or QUARAN. PAPA JUST CHECK AS INSIDE ABULANCE BE. I DEY VERY SURE SAY THE HOSPITAL WE DEM SPEND BILLION FOR NO GET THOSE KIN EQUIPMENTS.

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