Vice President of the Ghana Registered Midwives Association (GRMA), Hajia Damata Suleimana, has asked the public to volunteer information that will help regulatory authorities to fish out quack doctors within the health system.
She mentioned that aside endangering the lives of persons who patronise their services, the activities of quack doctors negatively affect the operations of duly registered facilities that have financial obligations to the state.
She has, therefore, asked that persons who seek medical assistance at private facilities should look out for signs such as the procedure for admitting patients, sanitary conditions of the facility and the location of health facility as precursor to detect quacks.
“If you go to somebody’s room without any documentation or test and the person gives you injection and prescription, you should know that the person is quack,” she revealed.
Mrs. Suleimana, who is also a member of the Expert Advisory Committee at the Health Facilities Regulatory Authority (HEFRA), has warned of an imminent crackdown on unregistered health facilities such as chemical shops and clinics that operate within various communities.
Moreover, she advised nurses and other non-medical professionals to resist the urge of giving prescription or injection outside the hospital, especially when they are not qualified to do so.
The seasoned midwife was addressing the public at a stakeholders’ meeting organised by the Ayawaso North Municipal Assembly (ANMA) in Accra.
The meeting was attended by some religious and traditional leaders, representatives from government service agencies and the Member of Parliament for Ayawaso North Constituency, Yussif Jajah.
Mrs. Suleimana made mention of some procedures that need to be undertaken for one to have his health facility registered.
They include registering with HEFRA, acquisition of fire certificate, getting a certification from Environmental Protection Agency, a build-and-operate permit from the municipal assembly and a practising pin, which is a licence to operate as a medical professional.
By Issah Mohammed