Sunyani, (Bono), Sept. 1, GNA – The Global Media Foundation (GloMeF), a media advocacy and human rights Non-Governmental Organisation, has urged the government to ensure that public health facilities adhere to the Patient Charter of the Ghana Health Service (GHS).
The advice followed threats reportedly made by Dr David Tenkorang, the Secretary of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) against journalists, describing those threats as reckless and shameful.
It said the strict enforcement of the patient charter would stem the growing abuse of the fundamental human rights and dignity of many patients, who seek medical attention at public health facilities, and thereby improve quality healthcare delivery in the country.
The Charter upholds and defends rights to quality healthcare, informed consent, privacy, and confidentiality and further covers patients’ responsibilities to provide accurate medical information, comply with treatments, and respect other patients and health workers.
In a statement issued and signed by Mr Raphael Godlove Ahenu, its Chief Executive Officer, the GloMeF expressed worry about the “growing abuse of the fundamental human rights and privileges of patients who seek medical care, especially at public health facilities”.
It expressed worry that “nurses and doctors increasingly insult patients, abuse them, and trample on the Patients’ Charter with impunity. They behave as though patients owe them a favour, forgetting that their salaries are paid with taxpayers’ money”.
“In fact, the GHS Patient Charter is not a suggestion, it’s a binding code of conduct, and no one is above it”, a copy of the statement made available to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Sunyani, indicated, saying: “the general misconduct of nurses and health workers are becoming alarming in the country”.
The government must also intervene to protect the rights of journalists and all patients from intimidation in public health facilities.
That statement urged the civil society community, human rights organisations and actors as well as the media to “rise up against the growing abuse of patients’ rights”.
It said: “We will not remain silent as health facilities become unsafe for the very people they exist to serve”.
GNA
Edited by Dennis Peprah/Christian Akorlie