Ghana must urgently address the quality of healthcare delivery, not just access, if it hopes to reduce preventable deaths and meet health equity targets, warns Dr. Sodzi Sodzi Tettey, CEO of the National Vaccine Institute (NVI).
Delivering a keynote at the 9th J.E.A. Mills Leadership Lecture Series, Dr. Tettey cited global research showing that over 50% of deaths in some conditions are linked to poor quality of care rather than lack of access alone.
“People are not only dying because they can’t reach hospitals. They’re dying after they get there due to poor care—short consultations, rude interactions, substandard procedures,” he lamented.
Dr. Tettey described a “troubling trend” of poor patient experiences at the community level, particularly among the vulnerable. “Health workers insult patients, offer rushed consultations, or fail to communicate critical information. These lapses are costing lives,” he said.
He emphasized that improving care quality—especially at the primary care and community health levels—must be as high a priority as vaccine production or financing.
“Quality care saves lives. And dignity in care matters,” Dr. Tettey stated. “As we build vaccine capacity, we must not ignore the lived experiences of patients in our system.”
He called for enhanced training, better supervision, and systemic reforms to elevate Ghana’s healthcare standards—beyond the hospital walls and deep into the communities.
Source: Ivy Setordjie
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