Why Ghanaian politicians prefer healthcare abroad than in Ghana - MP reveals

For many years, it has become common for politicians to travel overseas for medical care when the need arises.

For a group of people who claim to be solving the country's issues, the expectation would be that they will have trust and belief in the health system they help create but as it has become the norm, Ghana's ruling class prefers treatment outside the country to treatment in the country.

Over the years, people have attempted to understand this strange practice but the question of why politicians seek healthcare overseas rather than in the country remains an unsolvable puzzle.

According to Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, the Member of Parliament for Juaboso constituency, politicians are aware of the state of healthcare delivery in the country because they are responsible for ensuring the provision of necessary medical equipment for optimal and improved services.

However, since they know they have not fulfilled this responsibility, they prefer to travel abroad for proper care.

“One of the reasons is that, sometimes we are aware that the equipment needed for proper medical delivery at the hospitals, we haven’t sent them…

"We are well aware of the number of MRIs not working at the various hospitals even though we have approved the budget,” he said during an interview on Onua TV on September 5, 2024.

He further explained that some politicians prefer foreign hospitals for confidentiality purposes, as their health records could easily be leaked if treated domestically.

“Sometimes too it is for confidentiality sake. Some [politicians] believe that their health records may leak or get exposed to the public if they seek health care in the country. Some way somehow, we get to know people’s health record in this country because people breach the ethics of the practice.”

Mintah Akandoh further noted that politicians who seek healthcare abroad are not given special treatment based on their status and are treated as an ordinary patient, unlike the preferential treatment they might receive when admitted to hospitals within the country.

“We need to begin to retool and equip our health facilities for our own benefit. No matter the amount of money you have as a leader and politician in this country, when you travel abroad, the level of care you will receive in your own country, you will not get it in a foreign hospital. Who is going to treat you as an honorable member that you are? You will be treated like an ordinary person and join queues as well.

“As I’m here, if I decide to visit our local facility, the CEO of the hospital will personally drive his car to treat me specially. Whether as a president or a minister, that is how they treat you so if the equipment is in the country, we the politicians will enjoy more than the ordinary Ghanaian,” he added.

MAG/EK