The Medical and Dental Council of Ghana (MDC) has identified quackery as one of the biggest challenges undermining medical practice in the country.
Between 2024 and the third quarter of 2025, four individuals were arrested for engaging in unlicensed medical practice, while several others remain under investigation, with prosecution pending.
The Council has also flagged cases involving forged qualifications submitted by individuals seeking clearance to practice in Ghana.
Addressing the media, the Registrar of the MDC, Dr. Divine Ndonbi Banyubala, explained that although such incidents cut across different regions and professions, the Council is determined to confront them head-on.
Dr. Banyubala further disclosed that the MDC is partnering with the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) to implement a practitioner name tag and stamp policy by 2026. The initiative, he said, will make it easier for patients to verify the authenticity of healthcare professionals.
Detecting quackery is a very difficult task. One of the things that we are doing, and we are taking it up with the National Health Insurance Authority, is to ensure a policy we call practitioner name tag and stamp policy so that we expect that when you remain in the care environment, you should be professionally and appropriately tagged with your name, your picture ID and your designation.
“Because even if you get to the healthcare space there are all kinds of doctors, but that confuses people. Not all of them are medical doctors, and it creates patients’ health and safety issues,” he said.
The Council maintains that the new measures will strengthen public confidence in Ghana’s healthcare system while curbing the dangers posed by quack practitioners.
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