Exposure of patients must stop – MQHZ

SANFROSSA MANYINDA Writes@SunZambianLACK of proper supervision and failure to follow the ethics in the health sector is slowly leading to the deterioration of the profession, Medical Quality Health Care in Zambia (MQHZ) has observed.MQHZ has, therefore, warned that all health workers who disclose confidential information about their patients risk getting sued going forward.Some health workers at Ndola Teaching Hospital took a video of a malformed baby that was born on Saturday and circulated it on social media.MQHZ Director General, Quince Mwabu, said the act was unprofessional and should be condemned in the strongest terms well-meaning citizens.“This is so unprofessional and we will not allow it to continue happening. This is against our ethics. Health professionals should always obey the oath they took and should keep information of the patients confidential,” he said.Dr Mwabu said what happened at Ndola Teaching Hospital could have been avoided if the supervisors were not sleeping.He said the child that was born with a disorder as well as his parents had the right to confidentiality unless they consented that their child be exposed in that manner.Dr Mwabu stated that this would lead to the loss confidence in the health personnel and that some people could even stop accessing health care services for fear of being exposed.He however urged the General Nursing Council of Zambia, Health Professions Council of Zambia and all medical directors to ensure that all health workers followed medical ethics.“As MQHZ, we will now start educating the people on the patients’ rights so that such health workers should be sued and jailed for doing such things.“Imagine how disturbed mentally the child will be when he grows up and sees the video,” Dr Mwabu said. The Sun