The Member of Parliament for Bolgatanga Central, Isaac Adongo, has secured residential accommodation for doctors posted to the Bolgatanga Municipality in a move aimed at addressing one of the longstanding challenges affecting healthcare delivery in the area.
The accommodation, comprising two separate two-bedroom apartments, is expected to provide temporary housing for newly posted doctors and encourage more medical professionals to accept postings to the municipality.
The initiative comes amid concerns that many doctors have been reluctant to accept postings to the Upper East Region due to inadequate accommodation and limited social amenities.
Speaking during the handing over of the facility to the Bolgatanga Municipal Health Directorate, Mr. Adongo said the intervention was inspired by concerns raised by health officials over the difficulty newly posted doctors face in securing decent accommodation.
He recalled that when the Health Minister, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, upon his visit to the region this year, contacted him after two newly posted doctors struggled to find places to live upon arrival in the municipality.
“And so when he called me, he appealed to me to see if I could support them. So we started looking around, and my ward chairman for this area found this suitable accommodation for us. So these two are ready for those two doctors,” he said.
The MP explained that the facility would serve as a transit residence for newly posted doctors, allowing them time to settle into their new working environment before finding permanent accommodation.
“This is expected to be a transit quarters. It is not a permanent abode for them. When they serve for one or two years, we assist them to move out so that newly posted doctors can also benefit from the facility,” he noted.
Mr. Adongo revealed that discussions were ongoing to expand the initiative by securing additional apartments and eventually developing a dedicated accommodation complex for healthcare professionals in the municipality.
“The plan is to make this place more or less a doctors’ village. If we are able to secure the other apartments nearby, it will be very good for our doctors,” he said.
He acknowledged the challenges associated with attracting medical professionals to the municipality, noting that some doctors initially view postings to the area with apprehension.
“Already, where we are, we are disadvantaged enough. A lot of the doctors, when they are posted here, they actually cry until they arrive and realize that this is an exciting environment. We want to make their lives easier, especially for newly trained doctors who are transitioning into the world of work,” he added.
Mr. Adongo further indicated that while the current arrangement is a temporary measure, the long-term goal is to collaborate with the Municipal Assembly and government to construct permanent accommodation for doctors.
Receiving the facility on behalf of the Bolgatanga Municipal Health Directorate, Acting Municipal Director of Health Services, Simon Effah Adjei, described the gesture as timely and significant.
He noted that the government had begun recruiting critical health personnel, including doctors, and emphasized that access to accommodation would play a crucial role in attracting and retaining them in the municipality.
“As you are aware, the government has started recruiting critical health staff, and we believe doctors will be part of the list. Once we have temporary residence for them, it will facilitate their willingness to stay and provide the needed healthcare services,” Mr. Adjei said.
He thanked the MP for his continuous support to the health sector and assured him that the facility would be used for its intended purpose.
The accommodation initiative is expected to improve staff retention, strengthen healthcare delivery, and enhance access to quality medical services for residents of the Bolgatanga Municipality.
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