Ghanaian-American actor and comedian Michael Blackson has called out the University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) following the death of his mother.
According to Michael Blackson, the UGMC took ₵250,000 as my mother’s hospital bills; only to tell him she caught an infection and died.
In a post Michael Blackson stated, “@ugmedicalcentre called me every time payment was due but the doctors never once called me to tell me how my mom was doing. In one month they collected about 250k cedis and then told me she caught an infection and died. When she died they called me to tell me I had a balance I had to settle before they could tell me cause of death”.
He further alleged that the UGMC called him every time his mother’s payment was due, but up until her death, not once did they call to tell him how she was doing.
“They[UGMC] called me every time my mother’s payment was due, but up until her death, not once did they call to tell me how she was doing”, he stated.
Michael Blackson, in another series of posts on X, stated, “I wish i never paid them a penny then they would had probably sent my mom home and she’ll probably still be alive. @ugmedicalcentre like most of our hospitals in Ghana, only cares about money. Their motto is money over life”.
“One thing that was even more sad than my mother’s passing at @ugmedicalcentre
was looking in this log book of all dead patients that had that age and time of death. I saw one name, and the age was only 19 yrs old. That 19 yr death brought tears to my face. i said to myself, they couldn’t even save a 19 yr old so I know my eighty-year-old mom has no chance”, another post stated.
He further alleged, “When i went to identify her body, the guy that brought her body out asked for a tip, i wanted to smack him, but he was lucky my mom taught me better. @ugmedicalcentre maybe use some of that money you took from me and pay your employees better”.
“I think every hospital specializes in different things but @ugmedicalcentre do not specialise in saving lives; they specialize in collecting money”, Michael Blackson added.
Some netizens reacting to his post stated, “Boss, they’re the best, trust me. Others are more than worse. Especially the government hospitals. You have some cash to take care of mum; that’s why you were able to take her there. Imagine the average Ghanaian. Life is worse for them. A few private ones are doing good. Crazy!”.
One X user added, “Unfortunately, our nursing school system is in shambles; most of them choose the profession as a last resort, a gateway to escape poverty.
They don’t choose the profession with passion.
Most of the ladies allegedly are Hooks.
The whole nursing structure needs to be sanitised”.
A netizen added, “Prez. @JDMahama this is not one man’s grief. Many Ghanaians have buried family after care at UGMC and had no platform to say so.
We are not asking for blame. We are asking for audit of patient outcomes and complaints at UGMC”.
One X user added, “It’s a similar situation across many of Ghana’s major hospitals. In some cases, patients are left in the hands of student doctors or junior doctors because senior doctors are unavailable for various reasons. Many senior doctors have to work shifts at multiple hospitals since their salaries are often not enough to sustain them, or because of delays in payment.
Naturally, it’s difficult for anyone to perform at their best when they are constantly overworked. It’s sad that the average Ghanaian has to go through situations like this.
If you have a serious medical condition and you don’t have the money to seek treatment abroad—or time is simply not on your side—you may find yourself relying on a miracle to survive whatever ordeal you’re facing.
The Ghana Health Service and the broader healthcare system need a comprehensive overhaul. We cannot continue to place both healthcare professionals and patients under this level of strain. At some point, the system will simply become unsustainable if these underlying challenges are not addressed”.
See the post below:
@ugmedicalcentre called me every time payment was due but the doctors never once called me to tell me how my mom was doing. In one month they collected about 250k cedis and then told me she caught an infection and died. When she died they called me to tell me I had a balance I…
— Michael Blackson (@MichaelBlackson) August 4, 2026
I think every hospital specializes in different things but @ugmedicalcentre do not specialize in saving lives, they specialize in collecting money.
— Michael Blackson (@MichaelBlackson) August 4, 2026
When i went to identify her body, the guy that brought her body out asked for a tip, i wanted to smack him but he was lucky my mom thought me better. @ugmedicalcentre maybe use some of that money you took from me and pay your employees better.
— Michael Blackson (@MichaelBlackson) August 5, 2026
One thing that was even more sad than my mother’s passing at @ugmedicalcentre was looking in this log in book of all dead patients that had that age and time of death. I saw one name and the age was only 19 yrs old. That 19 yr death brought tears to my face. i said to myself…
— Michael Blackson (@MichaelBlackson) August 5, 2026
I wish i never paid them a penny then they would had probably sent my mom home and she’ll probably still be alive. @ugmedicalcentre like most of our hospitals in Ghana only cares about money. Their motto is money over life
— Michael Blackson (@MichaelBlackson) August 5, 2026
