By Benjamin Adamafio Commey, GNA
Accra, May 22, GNA – Professor Agyeman Badu Akosa, Chairman of the Medical and Dental Council, has expressed concern over the increasing number of malpractice and professional misconduct complaints against health professionals.
He said the growing backlog of cases before the Council reflected declining adherence to professional ethics, accountability and patient-centred care within parts of the health sector.
Prof Akosa made the remarks at the opening of the 14th Annual General and Scientific Meeting of the Ghana Association of Radiologists in Accra on Thursday.
“The number of people who are sending cases to the Medical and Dental Council, it is worrying. It is worrying. We have so many cases backlogged that we’re having to investigate,” he said.
Prof. Akosa urged medical practitioners to uphold professionalism and proper documentation, stressing that the Council would continue to independently investigate complaints brought before it.
“…these days, some of them (patients) are getting bolder and are then reporting the kind of experiences that they receive from our colleagues to the Medical and Dental Council. The Medical and Dental Council has no choice but to independently and comprehensively investigate and pronounce,” he stated.
Prof. Akosa cautioned health professionals against using systemic challenges as justification for neglecting patient care, saying practitioners had the knowledge and skills to provide essential interventions in emergencies.
“You have knowledge and skill, use it and don’t hide under systems failure. If you can intervene, somebody’s had an injury, if you can patch the wound and set up an IV, do you need bed? Do you need systems to be able to do that?” he asked.
Prof. Akosa also advised health workers to visibly identify themselves while on duty and emphasised the importance of documentation in patient management and investigations.
“And when something happens, it’s the documentation that speaks. It isn’t what you thought. It isn’t what you said… It is the documentation,” he stressed.
Prof. Akosa also expressed concern about reports that some consultants left their posts before the close of duty.
“One of the information that are filtering to us is that many of you consultants do not work after 2 p.m. Some people even after 12 p.m. It’s coming up and we must confront all these beasts bedevilling healthcare delivery,” he stated.
Dr Francis Ofei, President of the Ghana Association of Radiologists, called for increased investment in modern diagnostic infrastructure, including CT and MRI equipment, to support early diagnosis and treatment of chronic diseases.
He said imaging technologies such as ultrasound, CT scans and MRI were critical in diagnosing kidney and renal disorders and expressed concern over the rising prevalence of chronic kidney disease in Ghana.
Dr Ofei linked part of the problem to illegal mining activities, saying chemicals such as mercury and cyanide contaminated water bodies and increased the risk of kidney disease among affected communities.
He also called for stronger collaboration among clinicians, nephrologists, urologists and imaging specialists to improve patient outcomes.
“We have realised that most of the time, healthcare delivery is done in silos. The clinician is doing their own thing, the radiologist is also doing their own thing. It is time for us to resort to what we call a multidisciplinary approach when it comes to healthcare,” he said.
Dr Charlotte Osafo, a nephrologist, said chronic kidney disease continued to rise globally and across sub-Saharan Africa, with many Ghanaian patients presenting at advanced stages due to delayed diagnosis and inadequate access to imaging services.
She called for Ghana-specific imaging protocols for chronic kidney disease and stronger cross-speciality collaboration to improve patient care.
The meeting was held on the theme: “From Kidneys to Urethra: Imaging the Genitourinary System in the Era of Multidisciplinary Care.”
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Sackey
Reporter: Benjamin Adamafio Commey
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