The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has directed all healthcare facilities to immediately cease charging patients for the use of washrooms.
In a statement signed by Prof.
Samuel Kaba Akoriyea, the GHS emphasised that washrooms are a vital part of hospital infrastructure, designed to provide comfort and dignity for patients and visitors, not to generate revenue. "Washrooms are an integral part of the hospital infrastructure intended to provide comfort for patients and visitors and should not be used as avenues for exploitation," he stated.
Regional directors have been tasked with ensuring that health facilities comply with the directive, with penalties for non-compliance. "Regional directors are accordingly requested to ensure that this practice ceases with immediate effect," the statement noted.