Stakeholders in the health sector have expressed concern over the absence of medical specialists in the Upper East Region and the negative impact this has on healthcare delivery.
These concerns were strongly echoed during a visit by members of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Health to the Upper East Regional Hospital, as part of the Committee’s national tour of regional and teaching hospitals across the country.
According to the Chairman of the Committee and Member of Parliament for Nabdam, Dr. Mark Kurt Nawaane, the Upper East Regional Hospital has only one gynecologist and one radiographer, with a complete absence of other specialists expected at a regional-level facility.
Speaking on A1 Radio’s Day Break Upper East show on May 12, 2025, Dr. Nawaane explained that a key way to address the challenge is to prioritize motivating current specialists and attracting new ones to underserved areas.
“It is the motivation to stay. When I asked the Director General, he said that yes, previously he had posted people there, except that we have to find a way to really motivate them to stay and work in the region. That is what I think is the problem. Most of them are going back to the big cities because of either extra income, educational opportunities, or family reasons,” he said.
Dr. Nawaane encouraged hospitals to tackle these issues by closely examining the management of their Internally Generated Funds (IGF), particularly to support hospital maintenance and acquire essential equipment to ease the burden on doctors.
He also urged hospital administrations to take the lead in implementing staff motivational policies to retain human resources, even as they await broader government action.
Additionally, he advocated for a more targeted approach to issuing financial clearance, especially for doctors posted to specific regions, so they can work without bureaucratic delays. He noted that doctors often make significant personal sacrifices and stressed the importance of proper incentives to recruit and retain them, ensuring efficient and equitable healthcare delivery.
Source: A1RadioOnline.com|101.1 MHz|Nana Yaa Mensah|Bolgatanga
