The majority of health professionals in Ghana are failing to conduct regular recalibration of medical equipment for quality healthcare delivery. Public health experts argue that non-compliance to the standard practice of fixing uncertainties in medical devices frequently could be contributing to false diagnoses of diseases.
The concern was expressed at a workshop on Health Industry and Regulatory Affairs by the Mastercard Foundation Africa Higher Education Health Collaborative in Kumasi. Speaking at the event, a lecturer at the School of Public Health, KNUST, Dr Kofi Akohene Mensah, observed some challenges in the regulation of the pharmaceutical industry and the use of medical equipment.
He highlighted some practices by health professionals contributing to false diagnoses of disease. “Most health care professionals are not aware of regular calibrations. When we buy thermometers and sphygmomanometers, we don’t calibrate them. Even when they conduct initial calibrations, they don’t do it regularly. So, only God knows the number of people who have been diagnosed falsely of hypertension,” he said.
The MasterCard Foundation in partnership with the School of Public Health-KNUST is organising a weeklong event on Healthcare Industry and Regulatory Affairs.
The workshop targets researchers and practitioners from varied sectors of the health industry. Participants will undertake courses in the regulatory framework of the pharmaceutical and medical equipment divisions of the health industry. With the emergence of advanced technology, including artificial intelligence, Professor Anthony Kwaku Edusei, a facilitator for the coursework, believes the training would apprise participants of current digital health practices.
“The participants will be equipped with knowledge and skills in technologies that can help facilitate healthcare delivery,” he said. The workshop brought together 30 participants from across the country who are positive about grasping concepts in the coursework for application. “We will better understand how these medical devices work. We can also collaborate with others from the industry to conduct research in these fields,” Martha Naab said.
