The Ghana Medical Association has directed that effective January 2024, all medical doctors and dental surgeons must prefix their names with Dr. (Med) and Dr. (Dent) for medical Doctors and Dental Surgeons respectively.
This development as announced by the President of the Association, Dr. Med Frank Serebuor at the end of the 65th annual general conference of the association in Takoradi ;
is targeted at weeding out unscrupulous persons who continue to parade themselves as medical doctors or dental surgeons.
“Ghana Medical Association resolves that effective January 2024, all medical doctors and dental surgeons will use the following designations as prefixes to their names:
Medical Doctors: Dr. (Med)
Dental Surgeons: Dr. (Dent)
We entreat the media and the general public to take note of these new designations.
All medical doctors and dental surgeons are to take steps to amend their titles, name tags and practitioner stamps to reflect the new designations.”
The Ghana Medical Association has noted with concern the increasing number of unscrupulous persons who continue to parade themselves as medical doctors when in actual fact they are dental doctors and vice versa;
“Developments within and outside the health sector require that patient safety be protected.
Many individuals currently use the title doctor without any clear distinction. This makes it increasingly difficult for patients to identify who a medical doctor or dental surgeon is.
It comes as no surprise that there are increasing reports of some unscrupulous individuals exploiting the confusion and in extreme cases, causing harm to patients. “
Dr. Med Frank Serebuor further urged the media to lead the charge ;
“The media does not help matters by failing to probe individuals they refer to as doctors without clarifying their true designations especially when they are engaged as resource persons on health matters.”
He further directed that going forward , all medical doctors and dental surgeons are to take steps to amend their titles, name tags and practitioner stamps to reflect the new designations accordingly.
Source: Kasapafmonline.com/Kobina Amuah
