'Retrain health workers to respect patients'

The Alliance for Reproductive Health Rights (ARHR) has called on the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Ghana Health Service (GHS) to continually retrain health workers to show respect to clients at all times.

According to the group, this will prevent patients from opting out of facility-based services.

Some patients complain about ill-treatment by some health workers when they visit health facilities. This, according to the group, discourages patients from seeking treatment in those facilities.

In a communique signed by the Programme Officer of ARHR, Mr Isaac Nyampong  under the theme “Promoting Integration of Gender Equality and Social Inclusion in National Health Policies and Commitments towards Universal Health Coverage in Ghana”, the group called on health institutions to address proactively the poor attitudes among service providers reported by clients.

The group and its partners also urged the two bodies to design systems and services that will ensure vulnerable groups are treated with kindness by compassionate and competent staff working in the health system.

ARHR stressed that it is important that critical and realistic steps are taken to ensure that the health system guarantees universal health coverage of all who need healthcare in Ghana without leaving anyone behind.