Patients Charter:  a legal framework to protect patients.

The Deputy Registrar of the medical and Dental Council Dr. Divine Banyubala revealed that health practices are characterized by ethical and legal elements therefore its practitioners must hold that in high esteem in accordance with Patients Charter law.

Speaking on GBC’S Uniiq FM Break Fast Drive, He emphasized on the need for health practitioners to ensure the safety of patients. The Ghana Health Service in the quest to work in a democratized system, defined a framework of approved conduct for employees in the service he added. 

This framework is designed to meet the goals of chapter five (5) of 1992 constitution. The framework of the Ghana Health Service covers the code of conduct of the employees, and the right and responsibilities of the patients, he added. 

Dr. Divine Banyubala outlined some rights patients are entitled to when they visit the health centers. These include, right to accessibility to health centers and care, financial accessibility which involves the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), right against discrimination, right to patient’s privacy mostly in the consultation rooms. 
According to him, patients report to the doctor sensitive and emotional problems therefore the practitioners should accord privacy to these patients. 

Dr. Banyubala admonished practitioners to also allow patients to have a second opinion about their conditions with another doctor for verification as part of their right. 
He also emphasized that, health practitioners adhere to the right of consent to medication depending on the capacity of the patients to decide.

However, Dr. Banyubala advised the public to fulfil their responsibilities to the health practitioners for better treatment.

Some of these responsibilities are, patients must give out the entire facts about their health conditions to avoid wrong diagnosis and wrong medication, report medicine complications, and respect the right of other patients and the practitioners. 

He also advised the public to keep their environment clean, safe and hygienic to avoid minor diseases that can be easily prevented. 

Dr. Divine Banyubala called on health practitioners to be diligent in their work activities to avoid deaths that are avoidable. 


Story By: Gifty Tracy Aminu
GBCONLINE
---DECRYPTED---