GHS faces over GH¢400m medico-legal claims in three years

The Ghana Health Service is facing medical-legal claims estimated at about GH¢400 million, following a sharp rise in complaints against health facilities over the past three years.

The claims are tied to 173 cases recorded between 2023 and 2025.

They include allegations of medical negligence, wrong or delayed diagnosis, treatment and medication errors, inadequate informed consent, and injuries or deaths allegedly linked to substandard care.

Deputy Director-General of the GHS, Dr Caroline Reindorf Amissah, disclosed the figures in Accra at the opening of a five-day legal training programme for legal officers of the Service.

She said the number of cases has nearly doubled within the period.

According to her, 40 cases were recorded in 2023, rising to 44 in 2024 and 89 in 2025.

Dr Amissah warned that the trend poses both financial and reputational risks to the health system.

“If this trend continues, the financial burden could become significant, while also undermining public confidence in the health system,” she said.

The training was held on the theme: “Medicolegal Cases: The Bane of Healthcare Delivery in Ghana.”

Dr Amissah said recurring medical-legal disputes can weaken public trust in health institutions and create the impression that some facilities are unsafe.

She noted that some referral hospitals are increasingly described by sections of the public as “death traps” because they frequently receive patients in severe or critical conditions.

She, however, cautioned that deaths or poor outcomes at such facilities do not automatically mean negligence has occurred.

According to her, some patients report to tertiary hospitals only after their conditions have significantly deteriorated, making treatment outcomes more difficult.

Dr Amissah therefore called for stronger public education on the need for people to seek medical care early.

She said early reporting could help prevent complications and improve the chances of successful treatment.

She also urged health workers to respect patients’ rights and improve communication with them.

Dr Amissah said proposed treatments and procedures must be properly explained to patients before they are carried out.

She added that where a patient declines treatment after being informed of the risks and benefits, that decision must be properly documented.

According to her, proper documentation protects both the patient and the healthcare provider.

Dr Amissah said the goal of the GHS should not simply be to reduce lawsuits.

Rather, she said the Service must identify preventable failures in healthcare delivery and address the lapses that give rise to legitimate claims.