A section of media practitioners in Kumasi have attended a workshop on how to draw a road map to reduce cases of medical malpractice in the country.
The media orientation and training was under the theme, “Medical Malpractice And Patient Safety In Ghana; The Role Of The Journalist”.
Addressing the workshop, the Executive Secretary of Advocacy for Medical Malpractice Victims, Kwame Brobbey Appiah said the incidence of medical malpractice has brought untold hardships to many Ghanaian families.
According to him, many victims have been left with irreparable injuries thereby rendering the victims incapacitated for the rest of their lives.
Mr. Appiah said others also suffer injuries which are very expensive to manage and thereby putting a financial burden on victims.
He noted that many people in Ghana have died needlessly as a result of the actions or inactions of health practitioners who many of the times are left off the hook as the victims are ignorant of their rights in seeking remedies for their injuries even when they are able to establish a prima facie case.
To this end, Mr. Appiah reiterated that the media being the fourth estate of the realm has a daunting task to ensure through a deliberate attempt, the safety of patients in Ghana whiles accessing healthcare and to advocate for a system that would encourage patients to speak up on such issues using the media as their mouthpiece.
