The experiences and perceptions of Ghanaian medical professionals towards the practice of passive euthanasia in Ghana.

摘要

The practice of passive euthanasia is a problem because it is becoming an increasing moral and cultural concern in Ghana. Passive euthanasia in this context refers to the act of discontinuing care by medical professionals due to patient poverty. Although there have been numerous empirical studies on euthanasia, there is very limited information regarding the practice and perception of passive euthanasia in Ghana. While some embrace this practice worldwide, others tend to oppose it mainly due to cultural, moral and religious norms. In Ghana, medical professionals resort to passive euthanasia due to the inability of patients to afford the medical fees associated with long-term care and/or due to inadequate health care facilities. With the absence of a national passive euthanasia law in Ghana and yet a prevailing notion about the sanctity of life, passive euthanasia remains a matter of moral and cultural concern and sometimes a matter of conflict. To ascertain the Ghanaian experience and perception regarding passive euthanasia, a qualitative methodology and a hermeneutic phenomenological research design consisting mainly of open-ended interviews was conducted among 10 Ghanaian medical professionals at a Hospital in Accra, Ghana. The data analysis of the study provided five themes and showed that patient poverty, the concept of euthanasia, social norm/religion, insufficient trained medical professionals and lack of life-saving equipments were determinants of the occurrence of passive euthanasia in Ghana.