The Chief Executive Officer of the Social Investment Fund, Abass Nurudeen, has urged health professionals across Ghana to maintain high levels of professionalism and empathy as government works to improve conditions in the country’s health sector.
Speaking on Asempa FM, Mr. Nurudeen said that while infrastructural and logistical challenges in hospitals remain a concern, the attitude of some health workers toward patients also needs urgent attention.
“Inasmuch as we continue to fix our healthcare system, our nurses and doctors must remain professional to save lives,” he stated.
He expressed worry that some patients, particularly the poor and vulnerable, are not always treated with dignity and urgency when seeking medical care.
“There is little regard for human life in some of our hospitals… the attitudes of some health professionals toward patients, particularly poor people, are appalling,” he said.
Mr. Nurudeen referenced the reported death of Charles Amissah, which has intensified public debate on standards of care and accountability within the health system.
He noted that a committee led by Prof. Agyeman Badu Akosa has been tasked to investigate the circumstances and ensure appropriate sanctions where necessary.
According to him, the findings of the committee will help strengthen accountability mechanisms within the sector.
While acknowledging that shortages of equipment and logistics affect service delivery, he stressed that professionalism must not be compromised under any circumstance.
“Inasmuch as logistics may be a challenge, medical competence must equally be valued,” he said.
He further reminded healthcare workers that their profession carries a critical responsibility to save lives and must be treated with the seriousness it deserves.
“No one was forced to become a health practitioner, so those in the profession must live up to the expectations and responsibilities that come with saving lives,” he added.
