In response to the alarming infant abduction at the Mamprobi Polyclinic, the Ghana Health Service (GHS) has issued a nationwide directive requiring all health workers in public health facilities to wear approved uniforms and visible name tags at all times to enhance safety, accountability and professionalism in the health sector.
Dr Samuel Kaba Akoriyea, Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, announced the measure on Thursday during a working visit to the Catholic Hospital in Battor, where he was inspecting operations at the Cervical Cancer Treatment and Training Centre.
According to Dr Akoriyea, the policy aims to prevent impersonation and protect both patients and staff, following a recent incident in Accra where a woman allegedly disguised herself as a nurse and abducted a newborn baby under the pretext of administering medication.
“Proper identification will help avert such incidents and rebuild public trust in the health system,” Dr Akoriyea said, emphasizing that patients are more likely to engage with professionals when they can clearly see and recognize their names and roles.
He also encouraged health workers to wear GHS-branded attire during official duties outside their facilities, saying such standards “command respect and recognition” and align with international practice.
The directive extends to directors and departmental heads at all levels of the service including headquarters, regional and district offices and is part of a suite of security and patient safety measures introduced in the wake of the Mamprobi case.
Alongside the uniform policy, the GHS has urged facilities to strengthen internal security protocols, including designated supervision in maternity and postnatal wards, functional CCTV systems and mandatory discharge verification procedures to ensure infants are released only under proper checks.
The baby involved in the Mamprobi incident was later recovered by police, and a 33-year-old woman, Latifa Salifu, was arrested on suspicion of theft. Police have indicated she will be arraigned in court as investigations continue.
Dr Atsu Dodor, Volta Regional Director of Health Services, has welcomed the GHS directive and pledged full support for its implementation across the region’s health facilities.
The Ghana Health Service says the measures are critical to preventing a recurrence of similar incidents and to strengthening public confidence in the country’s health system.