Health professionals must stop waiting for public outrage before responding to emergency cases, Acting Deputy Registrar of the Health Facilities Regulatory Agency (HeFRA), Prof. Vida Nyagre Yakong, has said.
She made the remarks at the 2025/2026 matriculation ceremony of the Bolgatanga Nursing Training College in Bolgatanga while expressing concern over what she described as recurring failures in Ghana’s emergency healthcare system.
“It is often reported how Ghanaians in need of critical emergency care are left stranded at hospitals, which could have been avoided,” she said.
Prof. Yakong cited the recent death of Charles Amissah as an example of shortcomings in emergency response.
“The nation has just experienced the most shameful tragedy with the late Charles Amissah’s death. It should not have happened at all,” she stated.
She criticised situations where urgent care is only provided after public pressure and media attention.
“Health professionals should not always wait for the public to lament on poor care of patients in need of emergency service before care is immediately given after public outcry,” she said.
The former UDS School of Nursing and Midwifery Dean called for greater professionalism and adherence to medico-legal standards across the health sector.
She also urged policymakers to prioritise emergency services nationwide and ensure health facilities are adequately resourced.
“Everyone could be a victim to an emergency situation at any place and time,” she noted.
Prof. Yakong welcomed government efforts to strengthen emergency healthcare delivery, saying improvements in emergency response systems are critical to reducing preventable deaths and complications.
Her comments come amid ongoing national discussions about emergency care standards, patient safety and healthcare accountability in Ghana.
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