The Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has called on all health facilities to strictly enforce identification protocols for patients and staff following the alleged baby theft at Mamprobi Hospital on February 17.
During a working visit to the facility, Akandoh stressed that staff must wear their name tags at all times within hospital wards. He emphasised that name tags should only be removed at the security exit, not at the ward level, as a measure to prevent incidents such as baby swaps.
“Apart from the tagging, which is part of the clear protocols for patient and baby identification, name tags should not be taken off at the ward level. Name tags of both the mother and the baby should only be removed at the security gate, which is the exit. This is one of the ways we can avoid incidents of baby swaps,” he explained.
The Minister also urged health facilities to establish closer working relationships with nearby police stations to strengthen security and ensure quick responses to any suspicious activity.
Alfred Oko Vanderpuije, Member of Parliament for Ablekuma South, appealed to the Health Minister to expand the hospital’s labour, postnatal, and recovery wards. He said this would improve security and enhance overall service delivery for mothers and babies.
