A lecturer at the University of Media, Arts and Communication (UniMAC) and a media and political communication analyst, Dr. Paul Herzuah, has called for the resourcing of at least one first-class referral hospital in Ghana to cater specifically for national executives and the country’s top brass.
Speaking on Bullet TV’s Morning Target show, hosted by Selikem Acolatse-Apaloo, Dr. Herzuah argued that flying senior political figures abroad for medical attention undermines the competence of local health professionals and erodes public confidence in the nation’s health system.
“It doesn’t speak well of us at all when our Vice President or Speaker of Parliament must be flown abroad for treatment. We have the personnel here; what we lack are the resources,” he said.
According to him, the recurring practice of seeking medical attention outside the country sends the wrong signal about Ghana’s healthcare capacity, despite having reputable institutions like Korle Bu, UGMC, and Bank Hospital.
He stressed the need for government to heavily invest in equipping existing regional and teaching hospitals with the necessary tools, medications, and infrastructure to ensure efficiency in service delivery.
Dr. Herzuah acknowledged that although the previous government’s Agenda 111 initiative aimed at improving healthcare infrastructure, the country must designate and adequately resource at least one national hospital to handle critical cases involving national leaders.
“Yes, they are not better humans, but they lead us. They deserve quality care, and it must be here, not abroad,” he emphasized.
He also called for a halt to what he described as a normalized culture of evacuating political figures for treatment overseas, saying, “This should be the last time we see our Vice President flown out. We need to fix our system.”
Dr. Herzuah further warned that in critical health emergencies, such as that of the late Vice President Aliu Mahama, time is too short to make travel arrangements. “It’s not just bad PR; it could cost lives,” he cautioned.
He concluded by urging the government to prioritize the resourcing of hospitals across the country and to rebuild public confidence in the Ghanaian health system.
Ghana|Bullettvonline.com|Ebenezer Madugu
