A Warning to President Mahama

Lately, news about the health of our Vice-President Nana Opoku-Agyeman is spreading like wildfires in the Ghanaian news media, especially in Ghanaweb.

For the information of the President, his health minister and the people of Ghana, I wish to quote what is described as confidentiality in medicine:

“Respect for confidentiality is an essential requirement for the preservation of trust between patient and doctor.

Disclosure of identifiable information without patients consent to someone who did not previously know it, breaches confidentiality.

Confidentiality is owed to all patients including children and adults unable to make decisions (like Vice-President Opoku-Agyeman) for themselves and endures beyond the individual’s death.

Doctors do not breach confidentiality when they disclose information with their patient’s permission. Failure to comply with standards can lead to disciplinary proceedings and even restriction-cesation of practice.

Breaching confidentiality
Confidentiality should only be breached in exceptional cases and with appropriate justification. This includes discussing a patient with another health professional not involved currently with that patient’s case. Information should only be shared with other health professionals on the basis of a need to know. Wider disclosure to people loosely associated with care (e.g. volunteer helpers, support staff in residential care settings) require patient consent.” (Source: Oxford Handbook of General Practice)

In all it is clear, that confidentiality of the Vice-President’s health problems has been breached.

I make therefore the President, the Office of the President, and the Minister of Health responsible for this serious breach of confidentiality which requires apology to the family of the Vice President and consequently resignation of Chief of Staff and the Minister of Health.

It must be thoroughly investigated whether the sitting President Mahama has so far since his inauguration published a coherent health policy. If not, then the case must be sent to the Parliament for a decision for his impeachment, and if he had previously published a coherent health policy, the people of Ghana require evidence of it.

This is a serious matter, which I think the Parliament has a right to discuss.

Dr. med. Edward Kwame Poku