Push for enforcement of laws that protect rights of patients - ACEPA to Afenyo-Markin

The Africa Centre for Parliamentary Affairs (ACEPA), has told the Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin to push for the protection of the privacy of patients instead of advocating for a new and exclusive hospital for parliamentarians on grounds that a new hospital will prevent the leakage of MPs' health records.

Dr Rashid Dramani, the Executive Director of ACEPA told GhanaWeb in an interview that lawmakers should focus on passing laws to deter medical professionals from releasing information on patients who seek care and sanction those who default to serve as a deterrent to others.

“Doctors and nurses sign an oat on privacy so the focus should be rather on enforcing the law but not to request hospital when there are pressing issues to be tackled,” he said.

He mentioned that the forceful enforcement of existing laws will ensure the protection of the privacy of all Ghanaians which will in effect benefit the MPs.

Dr Dramani noted that conversations in this current dispensation should be about transformation, growth, and development not hospitals for parliamentarians.

The issue of a new hospital for MPs arose during the swearing-in of the Parliamentary Service Board on Monday, March 17, where Afenyo-Markin suggested that lawmakers needed a specialised healthcare facility to cater to their medical needs.

"Mr. Speaker, there are two things that I hope for in this Ninth Parliament. One is a hospital for Parliament. If it does happen, according to your vision, it will be a great milestone. We are a political class, and our health issues must be known within certain confines. Because of confidentially issues, people travel abroad at great costs for medical support. I believe if we are able to deal with this, it will help,”," he explained.

However, Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga rejected the proposals, citing Ghana’s struggling economy as a reason such projects would be unjustifiable at this time.

He insisted that given the pressing economic challenges facing the country, a new chamber and a hospital for MPs were not priorities.

VA/EK

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