American woman who got malaria from Ghana sues for amputation

An American woman who got down with malaria after visiting Ghana is suing the hospital that first treated her after her arms and legs were amputated as a result of the disease.

The woman, Dawn Dubsky is suing the Northwestern Memorial Hospital for medical malpractice because she says the hospital allowed her condition to deteriorate, the Chicago Tribune reports.

According to the report, the 34-year-old woman came to Ghana in February 2008 and came down with malaria after she was bitten by a vector carrying mosquito. She was not taking anti-malarial drugs at the time, it added.

The law suit, did not seek a specific amount of money, the report indicated.

Malaria is endemic in Ghana and it is the leading cause of death in infants.

In December 2009 more than 10,000 malaria cases were expected to be reported in the country’s health facilities with about 60 of them expected to result in infant mortality, according to an advocacy group Voices for a Malaria-free Future (VfMfF).

By Emmanuel K. Dogbevi