Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh has urged the leadership of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) and the Ho Teaching Hospital to prioritise compassionate and respectful treatment of patients across all levels of care.

Speaking at the official swearing-in of the governing boards of both institutions, the Minister stressed the urgent need to improve patient care standards throughout the country.

Mr. Akandoh expressed concern over feedback he has received during recent hospital visits and from the general public, indicating that unprofessional conduct remains a major issue in healthcare delivery.

“It is quite disheartening to hear that patients are shunning hospitals—not because of a lack of equipment, but because of how they are treated by professionals,” he said. “Ghanaian patients deserve to be treated with empathy, dignity, and respect. Professionalism must be our hallmark. It shouldn’t be business as usual.”

He further called for greater financial prudence and responsibility in health facility management, urging institutions to make more efficient use of their internally generated funds.

“Why should equipment be faulty or obsolete, and it will still require the government to look for money to fix it? This should be a thing of the past,” Mr. Akandoh stated.

The Minister’s remarks form part of a broader government push to enhance healthcare delivery and accountability within the public health sector.