Kofi Ampeah Woode
To forestall the increasing trend of medico-legal cases and suits brought against the Ghana Armed Forces Medical Services (GAFMS), on grounds of client-dissatisfaction with some of its services, acts of medical negligence and malpractices among some of its staff, Ghana’s Military High Command has set up a committee to promote Quality Assurance, to improve quality care and revive public confidence in all GAF medical facilities.
Inaugurating the GAFMS Quality Assurance Committee at the Burma Hall, Burma Camp, Accra, on Friday 28 April 2023, the Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) of GAF – Vice Admiral (V/Adm) Seth Amoama said, efforts began with the setting up of a board which came up with a manual on Quality Management for the 37 Military Hospital (37 Mil Hosp), to ensure guidelines are practised.
Admiral Amoama, who described the setup as a remarkable milestone in the delivery of healthcare service in Ghana, said the 37 Mil Hosp has been at the forefront of healthcare delivery for personnel of GAF and their families since its establishment, and has over the years been opened up to the general public and the diplomatic community.
He stated, however, that in recent years, there have been a number of complaints from the public about the poor quality of services, some leading to avoidable loss of lives, resulting in loss of public confidence in GAFMS facilities. He further stated “Services considered poor in quality are costly”.
Listing the composition of the members, Admiral Amoama said, the Director-General GAFMS shall additionally nominate an external expert with extensive knowledge of quality management, as a consultant to the Quality Management Committee, who shall assist in the training of staff as and when it is necessary.
The Committee is constituted as follows: Captain (GN) Paul Kudzo Yegbe – Chairman, Officers-in-Charge of Medical, Surgical, Paediatrics, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Ophthalmology, Ear Nose and Throat (ENT), Anaesthesia, Public Health, Dental, Polyclinic, Pathology, Radiology, Physiotherapy, Dietetics, Biomedical Engineering, Health Information System (HIS), Quartermaster (QM) and Medical Stores & Equipment Division (MSED) as members, with Lieutenant Colonel HW Kitcher as Member/Secretary.
The Quality Assurance Committee is entrusted with the following duties; i) Services offered by the hospital meet needs, expectations and requirements of clients, ii) Standards and procedures initiated would help ensure the provision of quality healthcare less likely to result in medico-legal suits against the hospital, iii) High-quality services that build trust and increase the loyalty of clients to the facility.
Their Terms of Reference include the following: a) Provide advisory role to Command on quality management issues, b) Develop quality management programmes and efficient service delivery, c) Undertake effective supervision of services of the 37 Mil Hosp.
Fourthly, recommend appropriate courses needed to enhance procedures offered in the hospital, e) Recommend appropriate equipment needed to promote quality service delivery, f) Recommend activities/programmes that would improve the efficiency of the hospital and impact its image positively.
With the 37 Mil Hosp suffering from the impact of the expanding Ghanaian society, the setup of this committee is expected to increase customer confidence and the facility’s credibility, while also improving work processes and efficiency, given that the hospital is one of the nation’s major referral hospitals during disasters.
Present at the event included the Chief of the Naval Staff – Rear Admiral Issah Adam Yakubu, Chief of Staff, General Headquarters – Major General (Maj Gen) Nicholas Peter Andoh, Commandants of Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, and Training and Doctrine Command – Maj Gen Richard Addo Gyane and Maj Gen Bismarck Onwane, respectively, Base Commander, Air Force Base, Accra – Air Commodore Eric Agyen-Frempong and the Director General, GAFMS – Brigadier General Raymond Kwabla Ewusi.
By Kofi Ampeah-Woode
