FLASHBACK: Why must we travel abroad every time we're sick? - Pratt questions

Managing Director of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr, in 2018 condemned the culture whereby people are flown out of Ghana to get medical care abroad.

The veteran Ghanaian journalist in an interview with Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FM wondered why the health facilities in the country couldn’t treat such patients, propelling them to travel outside the country for a cure.

He was commenting on the demise of the late Ayawaso West Wougon Member of Parliament, Emmanuel Kyeremateng Agyarko.

In Kwesi Pratt’s words, “So, should we go to America every time we’re sick? Should we go to Cuba or South Africa any time we’re sick? Don’t you think if we had the facility at Yale University in Ghana and he had been sent there last Sunday, just maybe we wouldn’t have had this situation?”

Read the full story originally published on November, 24 2018, on Ghanaweb

Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt has condemned the culture of flying people out of Ghana for medical care abroad.

Speaking to host Kwami Sefa Kayi on Friday's edition of Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo', Kwesi Pratt wondered why the health facilities in the country can't treat such patients and that it's only when they are flown out of the country that they could perhaps be cured.

To him, such behaviour should be encouraged because there are equally qualified medical practitioners and high-quality health facilities in the country.

He was commenting on the demise of the late Ayawaso West Wougon Member of Parliament, Emmanuel Kyeremateng Agyarko.

According to Mr. Pratt, the practice of conveying patients abroad for medical treatment kills the spirit of nationalism as it shows little or no confidence in Ghana's health system.

He also explained that sometimes a patient's condition becomes worse when put on a flight due to hours involved in getting him or her to a foreign country.

Kwesi Pratt called on authorities in the health sector and government to ensure the health facilities in the country are built up to international standards if they aren't and purchase sophisticated equipment to treat all manner of diseases in order to save lives here in Ghana.

“So should we go to America every time we’re sick? Should we go to Cuba or South Africa any time we’re sick? Don’t you think if we had the facility at Yale University in Ghana and he had been sent there last Sunday, just maybe we wouldn’t have had this situation . . .What sophisticated machine used to cure diseases that we can’t get or purchase into Ghana in order to treat people when they’re sick?” he questioned.

He however sent his deepest condolences to the family of the late MP over the unfortunate loss.