A Technical Committee set up by the Ministry of Gender,
Children and Social Protection is considering developing a charter to guide
medical professionals in handling persons with disability in the hospitals
The Charter supposed to protect the rights of persons with
disability at the hospitals will enable medical professionals better understand
persons with disabilities and how to treat or manage them when they need
medical attention.
The idea to develop a patient’s charter for persons with
disability was mooted when members of the Technical Committee discussed a draft
legislative instrument that looks at access to health services.
Dr Augustina Naami of the Department of Social Work at the
University of Ghana, said most often than not medical doctors focus on the
disability of the person and not the ailment or the complaint which the person
came with, which usually resulted in avoidable fatalities for the person with
disability.
Dr Samuel Kaba Akoriyea, chairman of the Technical Committee
and also in charge of Institutional Care Division at the Ghana Health Service,
said having a patient’s charter for persons with disabilities is something that
can be done.
He said his outfit will liaise with the National Council on
Persons with Disability to develop a charter that will promote better
understanding on disability at the hospital.
The legislative Instrument is considering among others the
need for health professionals to provide care of the same quality to persons
with disability as to others, including the basis of free and informed consent,
raising awareness of the human rights, dignity, autonomy and needs of persons
with disability through training and promulgation of ethical standards for
public and private health care.
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