The Ghana Health Service’s Deputy Director of Quality Assurance, Dr. Mary Eyram Ashinyo, says patients are becoming more aware of their rights.
According to her, the Ghana Health Service realized that health must be co-created with patients, which means people must be empowered to work with the health care providers to achieve the high quality they want.
This she said led to the Ghana Health Service Producing the Patient Charter.
In the year 2002, The Patient’s Charter was developed as a flagship document of the Ghana Health Service that spells out the right of the patient which must be upheld by all health care workers.
Through the charter, the service personnel, as well as patients, clients, and their family, understood their rights and responsibilities.
She notes that “as far back as 2012 when an assessment was done…just about 30% knew their rights. However, in 2018 another study was done and as much as 80% of patients knew their rights.”
Dr. Ashinyo said that despite the fact that the patient population is not static, they ensure that patients are educated on their rights on a continual basis.
“If you go to our health care facilities, they are laminated and put everywhere that there is some patient traffic. So you will see them at our outpatient department, on the wards, and virtually at every department and in offices. The patient’s charter can also be found on google on Ghana health service.” She said
In this regard, she urged the general public to continually be abreast with the patient charter as they have the right to know all about their medical conditions.
Source: Anthony Sasu Ayisadu/ATLFMNEWS
