Bolgatanga, Jan. 8, GNA - The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) is piloting Human Rights Education Programme= s in some selected Nurses and Midwives Training Colleges in the country aimed at reducing the abuse of patients' rights in accessing health care. The Deputy Commissioner of CHRAJ, Mr. Richard Quayson who disclosed this during a launch of the programme at the Bolgatanga Nursing Training College, said the Commission had been running the programme on a pilot basi= s in two nurses training colleges, namely Cape Coast and Ankaful Nurses and Midwives Training Colleges in the last six years.

He said in 2010 the Commission trained 330 students from the pilot nursing institutions and stressed that the programme was making a positive impact and that was why it was extending the programme to three additional Nursing Training Colleges in the Upper East, Brong Ahafo and Western Regions. He stated that among the objective of the human rights course for healt= h professionals was to raise the consciousness of students and practicing professionals to principles, concepts and values of human rights, promote culture of mutual respect among health professionals and patients, to reduc= e human rights violations and abuses in the lives of students and practicing professionals. He entreated the students to take the 14-week training programme seriousl= y to avoid being reported by patients to the Commission, stressing that as nurses and doctors they ought to respect the rights and dignity of patients when it came to accessing health care. The Commission, he noted, would not hesitated to deal with any healt= h professional who misconducted himself or herself especially in the violatio= n of the code of conduct.

"Failure as result of carelessness and recklessness in handling patients would no longer be tolerated and that is why the Commission is into partnership with the Ghana Health Service and is introducing the Huma= n Rights Training programme in your institutions. " Everybody is accountable to human rights violation and abuse of office", he emphasized.

He urged the students to see the Nursing Profession as a noble one and symbolic of humanity, adding that health professionals who respected the rights of patients were highly respected and blessed in life. The Regional Director of CHRAJ, Mr. Kenneth Adabayeri, in his welcome address stressed that human rights issues were now very paramount to every human institution including International Organizations.

He said countries that did not practice good human programmes and abuse the fundamental rights of their citizens were denied of support hence the need for human rights issues to be adhered to and respected. The Principal of the Bolgatanga Nursing Training College, Mr. Mac Musah Moomi, said the Programme was very crucial and could be of significant benefit to the students as health professionals in future. He reiterated th= e need for the students to take course seriously.