The limited number of doctors in the Upper Manya Krobo District of the Eastern Region appears to be affecting delivery of quality healthcare in the area.
Currently, the District has only two Doctors taking care of a population of over 100,000 far above World Health Organization’s Doctor – Patient ratio of 1:1000.
The Upper Manya Krobo District has one (1) hospital, three (3) Maternity Homes, four (4) Health Centers and Fifteen (15) CHPs Compound being run by two (2) doctors, 3 Medical Assistants ,5 pharmacists, 17 midwives , 52 General Nurses, 48 enrolled Nurses, 63 community nurses, 3 disease Control officers, 3 public health nurses , and other 91 health staff totalling 287 personnel .
The district Chief Executive for Upper Manya Krobo Felix Adjao Nartey during the First Ordinary Meeting of the 9th Session of the Assembly told Starr News the current strength of Medical Doctors at the Assesewa District Government Hospital is affecting healthcare delivery in the district, and therefore appealed for more Doctors to be posted to the district while the Assembly takes measures to address the health infrastructure deficit.
“We have one district hospital with two medical officers and three medical assistants who are working around. As a new DCE, I had the opportunity to attend the Mid-Year Review meeting of GHS and that gave me a fair idea of the situation and I realized that we need more medical doctors because the current situation is affecting health delivery. Records available indicate that the inadequate staff and facilities are affecting quality healthcare,” he said.
According to the DCE, the Assembly is making several interventions key among them is the construction of more CHPS Compounds to mitigate the pressure on the limited doctors.
The Regional Health Director Dr. Charity Sarpong on Wednesday during the 2017 Mid-Year Review Meeting in Koforidua also mentioned the shortage of critical staff especially in the rural and hard to reach areas as one of the major challenges inhibiting quality and reliable healthcare delivery in the Region.
