Let’s give priority to safety of patients – Prof Adjei

Professor Andrew Anthony Adjei, a bio-medical scientist and researcher, has asked developing countries to make the safety of the patient a top priority in the health care delivery system.

He noted that, while most developed nation’s had stringent safety measures to reduce medical errors, which often resulted in the death of patients, the same could not be said of developing countries.

He was speaking at a public durbar to mark this year’s International Biomedical Laboratory Science Day in Kumasi.

The day is celebrated worldwide on April 15, every year, to recognize the contribution of biomedical laboratory practice to quality health care.

This year’s event, organized under the auspices of the Ghana Association of Bio-Medical Laboratory Scientists (GABMLS), has as its theme: “Patient Safety First”.

Prof Adjei, the Director of Research and Innovation at the University of Ghana, pointed out that laboratory investigations played important role in quality health care, and urged biomedical scientists not to compromise safety.

He spoke of the need for bio-medical training institutions and the GABMLS to work together to build the capacity of practitioners to improve their professional competence to aid the delivery of quality investigation results for proper treatment of patients.

Mr Thomas K. Gyampomah, National President of GABMLS, expressed concern about the non-recognition of laboratory investigations under the national health insurance scheme (NHIS).

This, he said, was evident from paltry rates allocated to laboratory tests by the scheme.

Mr Gyampomah said members of the association were well trained to provide quality services and called for appropriate laboratory practice policies and infrastructure to enhance the practice.

Barffour Osei Hyeaman Brantuo VI, Manwerehene of Kumasi, asked bio-medical scientists to be cautious of results they validated in order not to compromise on the health of the people.