Stakeholders at a regional forum organized by the Integrated Social Development Centre (ISODEC) in Bolgatanga have noted that the ban on motorbike riding in the Bawku Municipality was affecting healthcare delivery in the area. They expressed concern that the issue was serious because health workers found it difficult to reach communities to administer health care, particularly to pregnant women.
The stakeholders, in a communiqué, stressed the need for government to exempt health workers in the area from the ban to enable them deliver health services to the people The forum, which was under the ISODEC “SIMAVI” project, attracted stakeholders in health including civil society organizations, Coalitions of NGOs in Health , Community Based Organizations and staff from the Ghana Health Service to brainstorm on how to address the problem of the refusal of health service personnel to accept postings to deprived areas.
The communiqué said lack of health personnel in rural and deprived areas was attributed to political influence. It said majority of the health personnel posted to such areas used politicians to influence the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service to change their postings and is seriously affecting and undermining effective health delivery in rural and deprived areas.
The communiqué called on government to as a matter of urgency intervene in the matter to stop the practice or else government’s dream of achieving the Millennium Development Goals $ and 5 would be hampered.
By: A1 Radio News | A1radioonline.com | Ghana
