By Hannah Awadzi
Aburi (E/R) Sept. 8, GNA – Dr Isaac Adomako, a specialist at the Salvation Army Hospital in Agona Duakwa has called for the establishment of a medical jurisprudence in Ghana to deal with medical negligence in the nation’s healthcare system.
He said a lot of healthcare workers tend to be careless when administering care, because they know that even if something goes wrong they will be covered.
“In Ghana, many healthcare workers or doctors are not held responsible for negligence, but in developed countries healthcare workers tend to be more careful because they know they can be sued and their licenses revoked should something go wrong,” Dr Adomako told the GNA in an interview.
Medical jurisprudence is the branch of law that studies the relationship between medical facts and legal issues. Medical witnesses may testify in front of courts, administrative tribunals, inquests, licencing agencies, boards of inquiry or certification, or other investigative organisations.
Dr Adomako explained that with the establishment of a medical jurisprudence in Ghana, there will be a breed of medical doctors who are also specialized in law to ensure that patients are treated right and also have a place to report to should they feel they are not treated well.
He expressed believe that establishing a medical jurisprudence in Ghana will help sanitise our healthcare system and reduce the many cases of medical negligence that occurs in our hospitals.
GNA