After more than a decade of transformative service in the Upper East Region, Dr. Freeman Samson Samani, Deputy Director of Public Health at the Ghana Health Service (GHS–UER), has been transferred to the Bono East Region.
His departure marks the end of an era for the region’s health sector, where his leadership, innovations, and commitment to underserved communities have left a lasting legacy.
Born on November 26, 1982, Dr. Samani has dedicated his professional life to advancing public health systems in Ghana.
A Public Health Physician Specialist, he has shown particular interest in sustainably improving access to quality healthcare, especially for vulnerable groups in underserved and hard-to-reach areas.
A Journey of Service Across the Region
Dr. Samani’s 13-year career in the Upper East Region saw him serve at multiple levels of the health system—community, district, hospital, and regional. From his early days at the Upper East Regional Hospital, where he helped establish the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), to his leadership roles in Talensi, Garu, Builsa South, and at the Regional Health Directorate, his work has been marked by innovation, resilience, and results.
As District Director of Health Services in Builsa South (2022–2024), he confronted long-standing challenges head-on. Within nine months, he worked with his team to upgrade the Fumbisi Health Centre into a fully operational district hospital, credentialed under the National Health Insurance Scheme. He attracted critical staff, improved midwifery distribution, and revitalized abandoned facilities, ensuring thousands had access to skilled delivery and newborn care.
In Talensi District (2017–2020), Dr. Samani transformed the Talensi District Hospital from a struggling facility into a functional referral center. He restored its surgical theatre, performed the hospital’s first obstetric surgeries—including its very first caesarean section—expanded ward capacity from 18 to 60 beds, and spearheaded community collaborations that resulted in the construction of a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit by First Atlantic Bank. His efforts drastically reduced maternal deaths, with only one recorded during his three-year tenure.
Earlier, as Medical Superintendent at the War Memorial Hospital in Navrongo (2014–2016), he strengthened collaboration with the Navrongo Health Research Centre and local stakeholders, leading to infrastructure expansion, improved maternal care, and better financial management systems. His leadership reduced maternal deaths by more than half within two years.
At the Regional Health Directorate in Bolgatanga, Dr. Samani rose to become the Deputy Director of Public Health, providing technical advice to the Regional Director of Health Services and overseeing key units such as Disease Control, Reproductive and Child Health, Nutrition, and Health Promotion. He led the region’s outbreak responses, guided district directors, and mobilized resources from partners to build the capacities of frontline health workers.
A Leader Known for Results
Colleagues describe Dr. Samani as a problem-solver with strengths in conflict resolution, systems thinking, and team building. He applied diverse motivational strategies to sustain short-term gains while keeping focus on long-term service objectives.
His leadership philosophy emphasized integrity, transparency, and community trust. In Builsa South, for instance, his openness with local communities increased their participation in health programs and attracted non-traditional partners such as Afrikids and World Vision to invest in training and capacity building.
Education and Expertise
Dr. Samani is a graduate of the University of Ghana Medical School (MBChB, 2009) and holds a Master’s degree in Public Health from the Royal Tropical Institute in Amsterdam. He is a member of the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons (Public Health – Applied Epidemiology and Disease Control) and has pursued further professional training in leadership and governance from institutions such as Strathmore University Business School in Kenya and the University of Washington’s Faculty of Public Health.
A Legacy in the Upper East
From establishing hospital advisory boards and reviving abandoned facilities to reducing maternal and neonatal deaths and strengthening health systems, Dr. Samani leaves behind a legacy of resilience and progress. His transfer to Bono East is regarded as both a loss for the Upper East and a gain for his new region.
Health workers, community leaders, and stakeholders have praised his dedication. Many believe the foundations he laid will continue to benefit the region for years to come.
Looking Ahead
As he takes up his new role in the Bono East Region, expectations are high that Dr. Freeman Samson Samani will replicate the same transformative leadership he brought to the Upper East. For him, the mission remains unchanged: ensuring that no community, no matter how remote, is left behind in accessing quality healthcare.
“Healthcare is not a privilege but a right. Our duty as health professionals is to make that right a reality, especially for the vulnerable and underserved,” Dr. Samani once remarked during a maternal health forum in Bolgatanga.
As the Upper East bids him farewell, his service stands as a testament to what visionary leadership can achieve in Ghana’s health sector.
Source: A1Radioonline.com|101.1 MHz|Moses Apiah|Bolgatanga
