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Ghana – where is our true health priority? – Ben Dotsei Malor asks

The media is reporting that the Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament, the highly regarded Honourable Alban Bagbin, is due to travel to Dubai for medical attention, at a crucial time for Parliament and for Ghana. Although this is his third such trip since November, this write-up is not about him, per se.

Ben Dotsei Malor

THIS IS ABOUT THE HEALTH OF A NATION. THIS IS NOT A PARTISAN POST BUT A PATRIOTIC PURSUIT.

FACTS: Over the past few years, Ghana's President, the Vice-President, and the Finance Minister have all had to travel outside Ghana for some critical medical attention. It is believed that several high-level public servants have provisions in their conditions of service to have the country fly them out and bear the full cost of such medical missions, if needed.

ENTOURAGE: The last time Speaker Bagbin had to fly out for medical treatment, there was some protestation over the size of his delegation, that is, the number of assistants, aides, and medical personnel that had to embark on the trip with him, using business class travel - all at the expense of the Ghanaian taxpayer.

AVERAGE GHANAIANS: We must always be mindful of the fact that the average Ghanaian is not afforded this privilege of seeking top class medical treatment abroad. The farmers in my home village of Ohawu can't say, "What is good for goose, is good for the gander." They can't get angry and say, "All animals are equal but some are more equal ..." And if Ghana's political elite - who should provide the best amenities and services for the people - opt unashamedly to use the people's money to seek better health abroad then what should the people do?

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USA-CANADA: For an analogy, just imagine President Joe Biden, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, or Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, at one time or the other, travelling to Canada to seek medical treatment. Alternatively, imagine President Biden travelling to Moscow for urgent medical attention that he couldn’t get in the best hospitals in the United States. I believe you’re now thinking: “Ghana is not America,” or “Why is he stretching this so far?” You are right, but I am certain you’ve caught the full import of these considerations.

FORMER PRESIDENTS: I’m also certain that others will point to the late President John Evans Atta-Mills going to South Africa and the USA for vital medical treatment. This simply reinforces the critical point I’ve made earlier that this is a patriotic issue and not a partisan one. Here, it is worth mentioning that former President John Kufuor, who could have gone abroad to have back surgery chose admirably to have the operation done at home in Ghana, with Ghanaian doctors and medical personnel.

RAWLINGS: Some have argued that late President Jerry John Rawlings would have been alive today if he had been flown outside for medical help, just as the current top political/public servants have enjoyed and continue to enjoy. I consider this debatable in light of the highly professional, deeply dedicated, and hugely committed doctors, nurses, and other medical personnel we have in Ghana.

"THE MEN"? Now to the critical matter of the quality and standards of Health and Health Care delivery in Ghana – or the lack of it. Are we saying that Ghana – after more than 64 years of political independence – is still unable to provide medical facilities that could be compared favourably with the best in London, Berlin, Oslo, Dubai, Johannesburg, New York and Washington DC? Though we cannot really claim, "We have the men” in all sectors of Ghanaian life, I believe we can say, with some level of confidence, sincerity, and pride, that in the Health Sector, “Ghana has the men and women!”

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HEALTH IS WEALTH: If, as the saying goes, “Health is Wealth,” then we are clearly demonstrating that Ghana is poor – and very poor indeed. (es, we can try to dilute the substance, song, and spirit of this assertion by bringing up the fact that it’ is not only Ghana that suffers from this malaise.) Our giant neighbour and brother, Nigeria, has a president who has regularly sought medical treatment from top doctors in London. In fact, a former Nigerian president, whose ill-health was badly “hidden” or mishandled for many months, ended up dying in Saudi Arabia. One of Africa’s liberation heroes, the late Robert Gabriel Mugabe, was also far away from Harare, seeking medical help in the Gleneagles Hospital in Singapore when he died and had been flown back to his beloved Zimbabwe.

KEY QUESTIONS: This then brings us to some critical questions:

1. Why do Ghana’s top political and public servants continue to seek medical attention outside the country at public expense?

2. Why are we suggesting, indirectly and openly, and in costly fashion, that our Ghanaian surgeons, doctors, physicians, medical technicians, nurses, and other health practitioners are not good enough?

3. What would it take for Ghana to have either a world-class specialized hospital or hospital wing that can compete favourably with the best hospitals abroad?

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4. What would it take for Ghana to transform the new multi-million-dollar state-of-the-art University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) into a top-class international medical facility, where the best care could be provided to our President, his or her Vice, the Speaker, and other prominent Ghanaians?

5. If the UGMC becomes acknowledged as a world-class medical centre, with great results and outcomes like any top hospital in the West, shouldn’t President Buhari of Nigeria and any of his top officials find it easier, quicker, and better to fly for just 90 minutes to Legon, instead of the six- or seven-hour flight to London?

FAILURE: In my humble opinion, a nation that cannot provide the best medical treatment for its President (or Speaker) at home is a nation that is fundamentally flawed and deserving pity. In addition to the financial burden on the state, it could also be considered a top national security issue, for our most important citizens as well, if our most important citizens to be seeking medical help abroad.

TIMING: Talking about the cost and implications of top officials seeking medical treatment abroad brings us back to the Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament, who is having to abandon his crucial functions in parliament, at a time of great angst and upheaval in the country over the vexatious E-levy. Just consider the cost to the political fortunes of Ghana. Any concerned Ghanaian must also be wondering about the state of health of the Speaker – unless there is an open and transparent communication surrounding his medical problem. Still, we wish him the best for a speedy and full recovery.

Let’s face it, the leader of North Korea is not flying out any time soon to Seoul for medical attention. Dr Mahathir Mohammad of Malaysia will not be travelling to neighbouring Singapore for surgery. The truth is, it is the failure of whole nation when its leaders continue have to travel outside the country for medical examinations and interventions.

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CONCLUSION: Surely, thus is not the GHANA that KWAME NKRUMAH struggled, sacrificed, and died for. He must be turning in his grave. I dare conclude that, any Ghanaian leader, who fails to build or develop a specialized hospital or hospital wing that can successfully cater to every medical need in a world class manner, is not worth his or her salt. Period.

PEACE. PROGRESS. PROSPERITY.

I rest my case.

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