Regardless of the fact that the Central Region is the most peaceful in Ghana with its wonderful educational institutions and close to Accra, the seat of Government, many Medical Doctors refuse postings there.
Dr. Alexis Nang-Beifubah, the Regional Health Director disclosed that of 13 Doctors posted to the region last year only four accepted postings with the condition that they preferred the Winneba Trauma Hospital.
Currently, the region could boast of only 40 medical Doctors providing health services to the over 2,201,863 population of the Region.
Dr. Nang-Beifubah, was speaking at the 2018 Central Regional Health Sector Annual Performance Review meeting held in Cape Coast on Tuesday.
The three days meeting on the theme “achieving universal health coverage: the role of stakeholders” is being attended by district health directors, representatives from the regional health directorate, hospital administrators and representatives from the Tamale Teaching Hospital.
He said the situation was hampering health delivery in the region and blamed it on lack of motivation, high cost of living and misconceptions about the Region and called for concerted efforts from all stakeholders to improve health care services and put in place pragmatic measures to attract doctors.
On promoting geographical access to healthcare, he indicated that the region had increased access to health through CHPS from 15 in the year 2017 to 94 in 2018, representing 64.8 percent.
Family planning services had increased from 30.5 in 2017 to 32.36 in 2018, a move geared towards reducing the menace of teenage pregnancies and its attendant challenges.
He expressed concern over the sector’s dwindling financial resources that had been worsened by the non-payment of NHIS claims which had been outstanding for some months now.
Some distinguished personalities who had contributed significantly to health care delivery in the region were applauded and highly praised by the health workers.
Mr Thomas Agyei Baffoe, Deputy Central Regional Minister in a brief address pledged the Regional Coordinating Council’s commitments to motivate doctors to accept postings to the region.
That notwithstanding, he called on medical practitioners to do away with the negative conceptions about the region to help improve health services there.
Ehunabobrim Prah Agyensiam VI, Omanhen of Owirenkyimam Traditional Area who chaired the function called for collaborative efforts by all stakeholders to improve health delivery systems.
GNA
