"Offically, no doctor or nurse is permitted to charge and collect monies from patients for the performance of his/her duties. But such allegations and rumours have been rife in recent times. "Unfortunately, no official report or complaint has been made by any patient or a relative that a doctor, a nurse or a medical staff has extorted money from them before treatment". This was the answer given to a reporter of the "Standard" by Dr Thomas Mensah, Director of Administration at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, when questioned about allegations of illegal charges being demanded by some medical officers and nurses at the hospital.