“Patients Deserve to Be Treated with Empathy, Dignity, and Respect” — Health Minister
Kwabena Mintah Akandoh urges Ghana Health Service and Ho Teaching Hospital boards to prioritize compassionate, professional patient care
- Health Minister urges Ghana Health Service to treat patients with empathy, dignity, and professionalism
- Calls for better management of internally generated funds to maintain and repair medical equipment
- Emphasizes the need to build a more compassionate and responsive healthcare system nationwide
Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh has urged the Governing Boards of the Ghana Health Service and Ho Teaching Hospital to ensure that patients are treated with empathy, dignity, and utmost professionalism.
Speaking during the inauguration of both boards on Monday, June 16, the Minister highlighted the urgent need to enhance patient care nationwide.
He pointed out that his visits to health facilities, coupled with reports, reveal that many patients are not receiving the professional treatment they deserve—an issue that worsens the existing healthcare challenges in the country.
The Minister emphasized that tackling these gaps is crucial to creating a more compassionate and effective healthcare system for all Ghanaians.
“Patients in Ghana deserve to be treated with empathy, dignity, and respect. It’s concerning that some avoid hospitals not because of lack of equipment, but due to how healthcare professionals treat them. Professionalism must be our standard, and this should never be ‘business as usual.’”
Additionally, Minister Akandoh encouraged health facilities to responsibly manage internally generated funds to maintain and repair equipment instead of relying solely on government support.
“Why should equipment remain faulty or outdated, requiring government funds for repairs? This practice must end. Facilities should establish clear financial procedures—opening dedicated accounts for such funds to be used exclusively for equipment maintenance and replacement.”
