Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh revealed that medical negligence is costing Ghana at least GHC 10 million per health facility, a financial burden he described as a “monster” in the nation’s healthcare system.
Speaking to journalists in Accra on Thursday, the Minister expressed concern over the significant funds being spent on these cases, stating that the amount spent on a single facility could exceed GHC 10 million. He highlighted the irony of the situation, noting that the country is struggling to acquire essential medical equipment yet is forced to spend heavily on negligence settlements.
“Anytime I hear that, I cringe,” the Minister said, emphasizing the severity of the issue. “As a country, we don’t have money to buy the equipment, but we are spending so much.”
Akandoh disclosed that his office received three new medical negligence cases from the Attorney General this week alone, underscoring the growing frequency of such incidents. He committed to addressing the problem but did not provide specifics on the government’s planned actions, stating that more information would be shared “at the appropriate time.”