The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has expressed serious concerns over the rising cases of alcohol misuse, drug abuse, and sexual misconduct among healthcare workers, warning that these behaviors are compromising both patient care and professionalism in the health sector.
At the GMA’s annual general meeting, President Dr. Frank Serebour addressed these troubling issues, noting that affected healthcare professionals continue to interact with patients daily, despite behaviors that impair their ability to provide quality care.
Dr. Serebour voiced frustration over what he described as a decline in professionalism and an increase in complacency within the healthcare system.
“Is professionalism in the health sector deteriorating? Is there too much focus on greed and selfishness? We can all attest to the rise in lateness, absenteeism, poor documentation, and a lack of adequate commitment to our employers,” he said.
He also highlighted disturbing trends, including healthcare workers who fail to complete a full day’s work.
“Some workers arrive at the hospital at 9:00 a.m., leave by noon, claim their work is done, and expect to be paid for eight hours.”
Dr. Serebour underscored the detrimental effects of substance abuse, pointing to cases of alcohol and drug misuse among health workers, which negatively impact the quality of care.
He also referenced incidents of sexual harassment, leading to legal challenges that have, at times, not ended in favorable outcomes for healthcare workers.
“There have been several legal suits, some of which have not been favorable to us as health workers.
Sometimes, we are let off the hook because victims of our unprofessionalism prefer to blame witches and wizards rather than address the system,” he added.
Dr. Serebour called for greater accountability and discipline within the health sector, urging a renewed commitment to patient care, ethical practices, and stricter self-regulation among healthcare providers.
