Negligence in health delivery can attract legal sanctions

The Ashanti Regional Supervising High Court Judge, Justice Kofi Akrowiah, has reminded health workers that any lapse in the discharge of their duties could cause them legal damages.

He cited, for instance, that when a medical practitioner negligently causes the death of a patient, “apart from the disciplinary sanctions by your association and regulatory body, you can face prosecution.”

Justice Akrowiah, who was speaking at the induction ceremony of the Advisory Board for the School of Anaesthesia of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi, stressed that: “If you conduct yourself without due care and without acting professionally, you could face criminal or civil prosecution and be liable to a fine or imprisonment”.

He tasked the board to provide a framework through which the school, as a public entity, will be accountable for continuously improving the quality of its training programme and safeguarding its high standards as the premier anaesthesia school in the country.

Justice Akrowiah further entreated the board members to contribute effectively to the administration of the school to ensure that it met its objectives by bringing out innovations to enhance the running of the school.

Anaesthetists

Justice Akrowiah observed that anaesthetists played a delicate role in the health delivery system as by their training, they were to provide safe, competent professional and compassionate care to patients.

That, he said, demanded compassion, a value that was lost to medical and health practitioners these days.

“In my view, the sense of compassion is the most important element needed in our healthcare practitioners,” he emphasised.

Inadequate number

The Ashanti Regional Director of Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Emmanuel Tinkorang, bemoaned the inadequate number of anaesthetists in the health sector to assist in carrying out surgeries.

He said without the anaesthetist, doctors could not conduct operations, thus stressing the need to have enough qualified anaesthetists in the system.

Dr Tinkorang, who is a member of the new advisory board for the school, said there was the need for the board to support the school to build enough capacity to meet the needs of the service.

Members

The other members of the board are the Director of the School of Anaesthesia, Dr Wilfred Sam Awortwi; the Director of Administration at KATH, Mr Fred Effah-Yeboah; a representative of the University of Cape Coast, Dr Elvis Ofori Ameyaw, and a representative of the Bantamahene, Nana Gyapong Mensah Apraku, the Papemhasehene.