Quack doctors still operate because of 'weak' systems - Dr Amewonye

General Secretary of the Ghana Association of Medical Scientists, Michael Amewonye, has blamed the continuous existence of quack medical practitioners on the failing gatekeeping system of the profession.

He explained that even though the law to check this is in place, there are three major gatekeepers whose duty is to ensure that quacks do not make their way into the system.

“The law is there but for the law to get effect people must implement the law… so when we still find quackery in the system then it means that the gatekeeping system we have is failing.”

The first is the regulating body which must ensure that all medical practitioners are well trained, certified and licensed before they get into the field. Facility managers also have the duty to ensure that the people they are employing for particular medical purposes have the necessary qualification and license before they are given the job.

In an interview with GhanaWeb, Michael Amewonye said if these two gatekeepers fail to fulfil their obligation, the onus then falls on colleagues working in the field together to look out for the necessary qualification of each other.

He was however quick to note that fake practitioners are still found in the system because the gatekeepers are afraid of being persecuted for doing the right thing.

“Sometimes we know that this person is not licensed, does not have the qualification, does not have competency to be there but we don’t want society to blame us so we all keep quiet. But when we do that we are abetting the crime and an ill towards one another is an ill or evil towards everybody else.”