President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is asking doctors and other medical professionals to accept posting to remote areas where their services are most needed.
The President mentioned that it is important for health practitioners posted to rural areas take up such offers.
Rural areas have been a no-go area for most professionals not just medical, the likes of teachers, and even pastors as they say life over there is more difficult.
However, speaking at the 60th-anniversary celebrations of the University of Ghana Medical School, President Akufo-Addo said the government is working to do more to improve the working conditions of doctors in Ghana.
“We currently do not have the right number of health professionals in our regions and deprived communities, especially the newly created regions. The news that doctors do not want to be posted to these areas is very depressing.”
“I will encourage all medical practitioners to follow the footsteps of your forbearers, who readily accepted postings to these areas at a time when the national infrastructure was even more harrowing than it is today. They knew their service is most needed.”
“so, I am therefore appealing to you all to accept posting to accredited regional and district hospitals where your services are needed most, particularly during your housemanship years.”
The Savannah Regional Director of the Ghana Health Service says 85% of medical officers posted to the Savannah Region in 2021 rejected the postings.
According to the Regional Health Directorate, 20% of other health staff posted to the region within the same period also turned down the offer.
The North East Regional Minister, Yidana Zakaria, had expressed concern about the rejection of postings by some five medical doctors to his region.
According to him, only one of the doctors came around to tour health facilities in the region but never reported afterward.
He said the other four have not even stepped foot in the region.
