In a recent call to action, Ghana’s Medical and Dental Council (MDC) pressed the government to adopt policies aimed at curbing the soaring medicine prices, rendering healthcare unaffordable for many, particularly the underprivileged and elderly.
This appeal emerged during the induction of 508 doctors in Accra, where MDC Chairman, Prof. P.K. Nyame, highlighted the urgency of supporting local pharmaceutical production to reduce costs. Additionally, he emphasized revising the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to expand its medicine coverage, ensuring healthcare providers remain operational, especially for society’s vulnerable.
The ceremony, held at the Accra International Conference Centre, included graduates from prominent institutions like the University of Cape Coast, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, and the University of Ghana. Amidst family and distinguished guests, including ex-Chief Justice Georgina Theodora Wood and Communications Minister Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, the fresh graduates pledged the revered Hippocratic Oath.
Prof. Nyame, addressing ethical standards, warned the inductees against patient abuse, referencing the ‘Me Too Movement’ and underscoring the necessity for respect in patient interactions.
According to a report by Graphic Online, Deputy Health Minister, Mahama Asei Seini, urged the doctors to embrace postings nationwide, including rural regions, emphasizing their sacred obligation to serve indiscriminately. He also expressed concern over increasing professional misconduct reports within the healthcare sector, labeling such behavior as utterly intolerable.
Stressing continuous professional development, MDC Registrar, Dr. Divine Ndonbi Banyubala was informed of ongoing efforts, backed by the Ministry of Health and the World Bank, to establish a specialist training center for enhancing doctors’ and dentists’ skills.
