The Upper East Regional Hospital in Bolgatanga is set to begin postgraduate medical training in January 2026. This move marks a significant step toward strengthening healthcare delivery in the region.
Professor Richard Adanu, Rector of the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons, announced the plan during a visit to the facility. He toured the hospital with Dr Abdulai Abukari from the Ghana Health Service and Regional Minister Donatus Atanga Akamugri. After the inspection, he confirmed the hospital’s readiness to launch the programme.
Although infrastructure limitations may hinder a full rollout, training is expected to commence in four critical areas: Paediatrics and Child Health, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, General Surgery, and Internal Medicine. The hospital will rely on existing medical trainers and collaborate with specialists from Accra to launch the programme.
The initiative also aligns with the expected opening of the medical school at C.K. Tedam University of Technology and Applied Sciences. When fully operational, the region could become a model hub for both undergraduate and postgraduate medical education in Ghana.
Regional authorities have welcomed the move. The Minister described it as timely and essential in tackling the severe shortage of doctors and health professionals in the region. He reaffirmed the government’s support for the programme and called on stakeholders to support its success.
With a population of over 1.3 million, the Upper East Region faces a doctor-to-patient ratio of 1 to 24,124. This far exceeds the World Health Organisation’s acceptable threshold of 1 to 1,000. Many doctors also decline postings to the region, compounding the challenge.
The new training programme aims to reverse this trend. It will boost local capacity, reduce patient referrals to far-off hospitals, and improve long-term access to quality healthcare across the region.
