Medical and Dental Council worried over growing misconduct complaints against health professionals

The Chairman of the Medical and Dental Council, Professor Agyeman Badu Akosa, has expressed concern over the increasing number of malpractice and professional misconduct complaints against health professionals in Ghana. 

He said the growing backlog of cases before the Council reflected declining adherence to professional ethics, accountability, and patient-centred care within parts of the health sector. 

Prof Akosa made the remarks at the opening of the 14th Annual General and Scientific Meeting of the Ghana Association of Radiologists in Accra.

“The number of people who are sending cases to the Medical and Dental Council, it is worrying. It is worrying. We have so many cases backlogged that we’re having to investigate,” he said. 

Prof. Akosa urged medical practitioners to uphold professionalism and proper documentation, stressing that the Council would continue to investigate complaints brought before it independently. 

“…these days, some of them (patients) are getting bolder and are then reporting the kind of experiences that they receive from our colleagues to the Medical and Dental Council.

“The Medical and Dental Council has no choice but to independently and comprehensively investigate and pronounce,” he stated. 

Prof. Akosa cautioned health professionals against using systemic challenges as justification for neglecting patient care, saying practitioners had the knowledge and skills to provide essential interventions in emergencies. 

The President of the Ghana Association of Radiologists, Dr Francis Ofei, called for increased investment in modern diagnostic infrastructure, including CT and MRI equipment, to support early diagnosis and treatment of chronic diseases. 

He said imaging technologies such as ultrasound, CT scans, and MRI were critical in diagnosing kidney and renal disorders and expressed concern over the rising prevalence of chronic kidney disease in Ghana. 

Dr Ofei linked part of the problem to illegal mining activities, saying chemicals such as mercury and cyanide contaminated water bodies and increased the risk of kidney disease among affected communities. 

He also called for stronger collaboration among clinicians, nephrologists, urologists, and imaging specialists to improve patient outcomes. 

“We have realised that most of the time, healthcare delivery is done in silos. The clinician is doing their own thing, the radiologist is also doing their own thing. It is time for us to resort to what we call a multidisciplinary approach when it comes to healthcare,” he said. 

A nephrologist, Dr Charlotte Osafo, said chronic kidney disease continued to rise globally and across sub-Saharan Africa, with many Ghanaian patients presenting at advanced stages due to delayed diagnosis and inadequate access to imaging services. 

She called for Ghana-specific imaging protocols for chronic kidney disease and stronger cross-speciality collaboration to improve patient care. 

The meeting  was held on the theme: “From Kidneys to Urethra: Imaging the Genitourinary System in the Era of Multidisciplinary Care.” 

المصدر: MyJoyOnline (GH)