There was a post on Facebook by Joy FM asserting that Accident and emergency treatment is to be free. This has a lot of comments from the public. However a Medical doctor gave an insightful education on his Facebook wall to answer this question. Read below to see how Dr Richard Selormey educates the public on the above question.
”The ministry of Health Accident and Emergency Services Policy and Guidelines of 2011 on Financing details as follows
“All persons in Ghana have the right to receive quality accident and emergency care. In conformity with the Ministry of Health policy all accident and emergency patient SHOULD BE ATTENDED TO WITHOUT REQUESTING FOR MONEY DURING THE FIRST 48 HOURS.
Sources of finances for emergency services will come from the following areas: 1. Government of Ghana
2. National Health Insurance Authority
3. Private Health Insurance
4. Special taxes (e.g. emergency services tax and vehicle insurance premium)”
Do check the attached picture
So it is NOT FREE as is being put out .
Kojo Yankson Esinam Osei Seth Kwame Boateng pls have your guys correct this erroneous assertion before you cause problems for the poor health worker.
Of course it can be free if government is serious about accident and emergency care aside just buying ambulances.
Government crafts these beautiful policies and then reneges on their responsibility.
They are supposed to fuel ambulances so the victim doesn’t have to pay before they are transfered but they never do and shout when the ambulances charge patients before they transport them.
Do we think ambulances drive on fumes or hausa Koko ?
Assuming even without admitting that accident victims are to be treated for free, won’t they have to buy the drugs, gauze and other logistics ?
Or do we think hospitals pluck these things for free from some trees?
Successive governments have not shown any seriousness and commitment towards emergency care except the periodic political gimmickry .
The Road Fund which can serve as a significant source of funds for this is largely unaccounted for and no one seems to know what exactly it is used for and the people don’t seem to care ..
The people who queue and vote and pay taxes should be interested in forcing the politicians who are all to comfortable to ensure these basic things for their welfare.
So let people , before you go shouting “let my vote count”, know that your life must count first!
let’s set politics aside and demand the best of health care !”
source: facebook