By Linda Naa Deide Aryeetey
Accra, Sept. 21, GNA – Dr Francis Addai, the Head of Medical Services at FOCOS Orthopaedic Hospital, has called for greater emphasis on patient education to improve safety in the management of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
He said effective management of chronic diseases should go beyond prescribing medicines to include healthy lifestyles, regular screening, treatment adherence and active patient participation in care.
Dr Addai made the call during a panel discussion on the theme: “Safe Care for Life,” held in Accra to mark the World Patient Safety Day.
He said medication was only one component of NCD management, emphasising the need for healthy eating, physical activity and other lifestyle modifications to achieve better health outcomes.
“When it comes to chronic conditions, the two have to work together to give you the best outcomes,” he said.
Dr Addai said patients needed to understand their treatment plans and take responsibility for achieving their health targets.
He noted that health workers’ contribution to NCD care was about 30 to 40 per cent, while the remaining 60 to 70 per cent depended largely on patients’ commitment to managing their conditions.
Effective self-care could enable stable patients to manage much of their conditions at home, reducing unnecessary dependence on health facilities, he noted.
Dr Addai cautioned patients against abandoning prescribed medicines for unverified herbal preparations and products marketed as cures for chronic diseases..
“While acknowledging that some plants had medicinal properties, patients could be harmed by products promoted with misleading claims or containing undisclosed pharmaceutical substances,” he said.
Dr Addai urged patients to seek professional advice before replacing prescribed medicines with alternative preparations.
He also cautioned against complacency among patients whose conditions had become controlled, saying improved readings or reduced symptoms should not be interpreted as a reason to discontinue treatment without medical advice.
He called for stronger adherence to evidence-based treatment guidelines to prevent avoidable complications and improve patient safety.
Dr Efua Commey, Director of Health Services, La Nkwantanang-Madina Municipal Health Directorate, said self-care was a continuous process that required patients to receive clear and practical information about their conditions.
She urged health professionals to explain medicines in language patients understood, including their purpose, dosage, possible side effects, and what to do when adverse reactions occurred.
“If we are prescribing, we should be able to engage the client in a language that they understand,” she said.
Ms Eidman Aku Numadzi, a Registered Dietician at FOCOS Orthopaedic Hospital, said dietary advice should considerpatients’ economic, social and cultural circumstances.
She said healthy eating recommendations that ignored patients’ ability to afford recommended foods were unlikely to be sustainable.
Ms Numadzi encouraged patients to prioritise locally available and seasonal foods, which could be more affordable, and cautioned against adopting expensive diets promoted on social media without professional guidance.
She said traditional Ghanaian foods could form part of a healthy diet when appropriately prepared and consumed in suitable portions.
The World Patient Safety Day is observed annually on September 17 to raise global awareness and promote action to reduce preventable harm in healthcare.
This year’s theme: “Safe Care for Noncommunicable Diseases,” highlights patient safety risks associated with the long-term management of conditions including cardiovascular, diabetes, cancer and chronic respiratory diseases.
GNA
Edited by Agnes Boye-Doe
Reporter: Linda Naa Deide Aryeetey
Email: [email protected]