Tema-Ghana, Nov 17, – Mr. Samuel Adu Ntiamoah, an Emergency Specialist at the International Maritime Hospital (IMaH), has advocated that Ghana join the global tagging of individuals for special health conditions in the bid to revolutionise emergency medical intervention.
Mr. Ntiamoah explained that a medical identification tag is a small tag worn on any part of the body, bearing a message that the wearer has an important medical condition that might require immediate attention.
“These tags usually indicate if a person is, for example, asthmatic, diabetic, sickle cell, or has other chronic illnesses that may require quick assistance to save their lives,” he said.
He said that this innovative approach could significantly improve the efficiency and accuracy of emergency medical interventions, potentially saving lives in critical situations.
Mr. Ntiamoah stated at the weekly “Your Health! Our Collective Responsibility,” which is a project of the Ghana News Agency’s Tema Regional Office to enhance health literacy, promote discussion of health-related topics, and offer a forum for the sharing of health information.
The GNA-Tema public health advocacy platform, “Your Health: Our Collective Responsibility,” was intended to explore the limits of the four health communication modalities—informative, instructional, persuasive, and prompting—in addition to serving as a platform for public health advocacy.
He highlighted that identification tags are particularly useful in situations where the wearer is unconscious or otherwise unable to provide critical medical information.
He said the tags help health providers administer adequate and immediate medical assistance based on the tag’s information and ensure the wearer receives the right care and medication, which further goes to preventing misdiagnosis and unwanted drug interactions during emergencies.
Highlighting the significance of transparency, Ms. Juliet Owusu Dwamena, an Emergency Nurse at IMaH also underscores the importance of honesty when employees are required to submit medical reports at workplaces.
She argues that it aids in identifying a work environment that aligns with an individual’s health needs, ultimately minimising the risk of complications or health triggers.
Ms. Dwamena emphasised that the appeal for health condition tagging and transparency in workplaces is a collective initiative aimed at boosting health literacy and advancing emergency response capabilities within the community.
She suggested the implementation of policies to endorse this tagging system, aiming to streamline operations in emergency units and ensure a more efficient and secure environment to save lives.
