By Senam Joanita Amegashie
Public officers, politicians, and senior government officials are entrusted with the responsibility to serve the interests of the people they represent. Yet, in Ghana, a troubling trend has emerged: these officials often seek medical treatment abroad while the nation’s healthcare system grapples with inadequate resources. This raises a critical question: Do they respect the qualified medical professionals in Ghana? Do they have confidence in the very systems they oversee? If not, why should the ordinary Ghanaian be expected to trust them?
A glance at the national budget for external medical treatments reveals significant expenditure on foreign healthcare for government officials. Meanwhile, many health facilities in Ghana lack essential diagnostic tools such as MRI and CT scan machines in every region. Why is this the case? Why are we, as a nation, unwilling to invest in our own healthcare system? Healthcare is undoubtedly expensive, but when public officers seek treatment abroad, they pay exorbitant amounts. Why, then, can’t we channel these funds into improving our hospitals here in Ghana?
Imagine if the President or a high-ranking official were admitted to the University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) or Korle Bu Teaching Hospital. Would they not receive competent medical care? Are we suggesting that there are no qualified Ghanaian doctors capable of treating them? If that is the case, it is an indictment on our entire system. And if they do believe we have competent doctors, then why do they refuse to receive treatment here? This blatant disregard for our local healthcare professionals is an insult to their expertise and dedication.
But healthcare is not the only issue—education follows the same troubling pattern. If a politician is responsible for shaping Ghana’s education policies yet chooses to send their children abroad for schooling, it raises serious concerns about their faith in the system they are entrusted to improve. Why should the children of government officials be educated elsewhere while the majority of Ghanaian children remain in a system that lacks the very resources these officials could provide? Why must the average Ghanaian child struggle in underfunded schools while politicians refuse to trust the very policies they enforce?
This hypocrisy must end. If you are appointed to serve the people, then you must also live as the people do. If your children do not attend school in Ghana and you do not seek healthcare here, do you truly deserve to serve? Leadership is not about privilege; it is about setting an example. The President himself should be asking these tough questions—why are his officials not using the systems they oversee? Why are they refusing to invest in and develop what should be Ghana’s pride?
Leadership should be about leading by example. Public officers must demonstrate their commitment to national development by utilizing the country’s healthcare and education systems. If they cannot trust these institutions, then they should work to make them better, not abandon them for foreign alternatives. Ghana’s progress depends on leaders who believe in the country’s potential and actively contribute to its growth rather than seeking solutions elsewhere. We cannot continue on this path of hypocrisy and negligence. The time for action is now.
Also Healthcare and education have become valuable commercial assets, garnering respect, attention, and generating significant income. Given that many neighboring countries struggle with inadequate health facilities, Ghana has a unique opportunity to attract their citizens to our superior healthcare and education systems. By charging a premium for these services, we can generate revenue that could be used to subsidize the education and healthcare needs of our own citizens.
Source: Senam Joanita Amegashie
