The Upper East Regional Hospital in Bolgatanga is currently facing a significant shortage of health professionals. This shortage significantly affects the standard of healthcare the region provides. As the primary referral centre for more than 1.3 million individuals from within and beyond the area, the facility struggles to function with a severely understaffed team.
The hospital was founded as a clinic in 1946. Over time, it has grown into a 265-bed referral facility. Despite its size, it is currently run by only 760 employees. This number includes just one radiographer and one gynaecologist, a situation that hospital authorities have described as dire.
Dr. Aiden Suntaa Saanwie is the hospital’s Medical Director. He expressed his concern about the impact of the staff shortage on current health workers.
“Our major issue when we went round was staffing. We have received a lot of facilities, and we need the recommended staff to be able to use these facilities to the benefit of the people, and that is a key challenge. For instance, we don’t have a biomedical engineer. When the machines break down, we have to get someone from either Accra, Tamale, or Kumasi to come and work on them. Some of them even come in and end up worsening the problem because they are not certified people.” he explained.
Dr Saanwie addressed the Parliamentary Select Committee on Health during their visit. He highlighted the shortage of staff housing as a significant factor in the issue at hand. He emphasized that numerous healthcare professionals are forced to lease pricey apartments in Bolgatanga. This happens because of the lack of available institutional housing.
“Staffing for our doctors and nurses is among the challenges. High rents in town make it challenging. If you don’t have accommodation and you want to go out and rent, you’re faced with difficulties,” Dr Saanwie explained.
Dr Saanwie expressed gratitude to the Committee for their visit. He urged the government, through them, to provide support in constructing a chest ward. He also asked for help in renovating the maternity block at the hospital.
The Parliamentary Select Committee on Health is headed by Dr Mark Kurt Nawaane, Member of Parliament for Nabdam. They recently visited the hospital. This visit was part of their nationwide tour of teaching and regional hospitals. The delegation also included Patrick Boakye-Yiadom, who is the MP for Obuasi East. It also included Anthony Mwinkaara Sumah, the MP for Nadowli-Kaleo. Lastly, Kingsley Agyemang, the MP for Abuakwa South, was part of the delegation.
During the visit, the MPs had the opportunity to tour important departments. They witnessed healthcare operations firsthand. They also discussed with hospital management to gain a deeper understanding of the obstacles hindering efficient service delivery.
Dr. Nawaane raised a red flag about the issue. He urged the government to offer unique incentives. These incentives would entice healthcare providers to underprivileged areas. He proposed that the Ministry of Health and Finance collaborate. They should promptly approve funds for medical personnel. These personnel are interested in serving in isolated and impoverished regions.
“We’ve been to different wards, and the problem of staffing is number one, and the government needs to do something about it. The financial clearance that they need, the government has to look at it very well and probably look at these remote areas. The financial clearance can be discriminated in such a way that people who want to come to areas like Bolga should have their financial clearance a bit early. How can the who of Upper East region have 1 radiographer and 1 gynecologist when they need about 6,” he stated.
Additionally, the Committee stressed the importance of promptly addressing the logistical and infrastructure deficiencies at the hospital. These issues have been detrimental to the provision of high-quality healthcare services. Dr Nawaane acknowledged the management’s efforts in maintaining the facility. He also urged them to find ways to increase revenue. This would allow the hospital to generate income.
“They are talking about staff attrition. When they post people here, within two or two years, they leave. You can post a hundred staff here, but without motivation, they will leave. I believe that if the hospital’s IGF is good, they will be able to some extent assist in this staff motivation and reduce staff attrition,” he suggested.
