Following a high-level closed-door meeting with hospital management, the Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has announced a sweeping set of reforms aimed at ending the “growing concern” of baby thefts and swaps in the country’s health facilities.
The Minister’s visit to Mamprobi Hospital comes in the wake of a distressing incident involving the disappearance of a newborn, an event he says must lead to “major reforms” to prevent any future occurrence of this nature.
Addressing the media, Akandoh expressed his frustration with facilities that have failed to implement long-standing safety directives. He emphasized that it is now considered a “sin” for any health professional to be on duty without visible identification. He warned that administrators who fail to enforce the wearing of name tags will be held personally liable if security breaches occur under their watch.
Beyond staff identification, the Minister reiterated that every health facility in the nation is required to have functional CCTV surveillance. He dismissed excuses regarding a lack of resources, noting that these instructions were circulated to all facilities long ago and must be adhered to immediately.
In a direct response to the Mamprobi theft, the Minister introduced a critical change to discharge protocols. To combat the persistent issue of baby swaps and unauthorized removals, he instructed that identification tags for both mothers and infants must no longer be removed at the ward level. Instead, these tags are to remain intact until the point of exit at the main security gate, following the settlement of all medical and administrative protocols.
Furthermore, the Minister mandated that all health facilities establish a formal relationship with their nearest police station to ensure regular patrols and a “click-of-a-button” response to emergencies. To improve transparency, facilities must also prominently display client service forms, suggestion boxes, and emergency telephone numbers in strategic positions to better collate and address public complaints.
Ongoing Investigations and Accountability
When questioned about whether specific hospital staff had been detained or sanctioned following the recent theft, the Minister urged the public to allow the legal process to unfold. He stated that investigations are currently ongoing and that it would be prejudicial to preempt the findings. However, he assured the public that any punishment or sanctions would be determined by the final investigative report.
Kwabena Mintah Akandoh also touched upon the physical state of health facilities, directing hospital boards to ensure that grounds are either paved, tarred, or landscaped with grass and flowers.
He argued that beautifying these spaces is a necessary step toward the overall improvement of the health sector’s standards and the healing environment for patients.
Story: Eugenia Ewoenam Osei
