…Patient Sues Peace and Love Hospital Over Secret CCTV In Intimate Exam Room
By Philip Antoh
A bombshell lawsuit has hit the Human Rights Division of the High Court, exposing a shocking alleged breach of privacy at Peace and Love Hospital.
A Ghanaian woman, Gifty Amoakowaa, is dragging the prominent medical facility to court, claiming a Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) camera was illegally installed in a consultation and examination room where she underwent a highly sensitive physical breast examination.
The revelations have sent shockwaves through the public, raising urgent questions about patient rights, dignity, and the alarming extent of surveillance in healthcare facilities.
Filed under suit number HR/0103/2025, Amoakowaa’s legal team, led by J.B. Afrifa of Akufo-Addo, Prempeh & Co., asserts that the hospital’s actions constitute an “egregious breach” of her fundamental rights to privacy and human dignity.
The lawsuit leans heavily on Articles 15 and 18(2) of the 1992 Ghanaian Constitution, alongside provisions of the Public Health Act, 2012 (Act 851), particularly Section 167 and the Sixth Schedule – the revered Patient’s Charter.
“A declaration that the Respondent’s installation of a CCTV camera in its consulting and examination room, wherein physical breast examinations are conducted, constitutes a violation of the Applicant’s right to privacy and confidentiality inherent in the doctor-patient relationship,” states the Notice of Motion.
Amoakowaa’s affidavit paints a harrowing picture of “intense embarrassment and anxiety,” describing persistent psychological repercussions from the knowledge of being recorded during such a personal examination.
She is demanding general damages for the severe psychological trauma and emotional distress inflicted by the alleged constitutional breaches.
In a bold move, the legal team is also demanding a mandatory order for the immediate removal of all such CCTV installations from all consulting and examination rooms under Peace and Love Hospital’s control.
Furthermore, they seek a written undertaking from the hospital to immediately delete any captured footage and to forever desist from storing, publishing, transmitting, or disseminating such content.
The Attorney General has also been named as a respondent in the groundbreaking case, and is expected to provide crucial insights into the State’s stance on surveillance and medical privacy, especially concerning private medical procedures.
This landmark case is set to be heard later this month and is poised to establish a significant legal precedent. The outcome could trigger monumental shifts in how surveillance technology is deployed in hospitals nationwide, particularly in sensitive examination rooms.
A ruling in Amoakowaa’s favor could empower countless patients to challenge hospital policies that infringe upon their right to privacy and dignity.
Conversely, a decision for the hospital could open the floodgates to widespread CCTV use in healthcare, sparking intense public debate over safeguards, consent, and transparency.
The public awaits with bated breath as this critical legal battle unfolds, promising to redefine the delicate balance between institutional security and the inviolable sanctity of patient privacy.