WA HOSPITAL IN DISTRESS...Following departure of Cuban doctors (BACK PAGE, AUGUST 27, 2010)

HEALTH delivery at the Wa Regional Hospital faces a major setback following the expiry this month of the tenure of five Cuban doctors who have been complementing the efforts of their two Ghanaian colleagues.
The situation leaves only the two Ghanaian doctors in a hospital built to operate with 25 doctors.
The Upper West Regional Director of Health, Dr Alexis Nang Beifubah, described the situation as “getting out of hand” and pleaded with the authorities to treat it as a matter of urgency.
Briefing the Upper West Regional Minister, Alhaji Issahaku Salia, and his deputy, Mr Caesar Kale, during a visit to the hospital, Dr Beifubah said the time had come for the political heads in the region to help create the conditions that would attract doctors to the region.
He also called on the citizens to take up the challenge and help improve conditions at home rather than wait until national authorities come to the aid of the region.
He called for a massive improvement in the accommodation situation for workers, particularly health personnel in the region, pointing out that monetary incentives were also very important.
Citing examples from Bawku and Bolgatanga hospitals, Dr Nang Beifubah suggested that the respective local government assemblies be made to contribute some money into a common source which must be under the care of the regional minister, to make all the assemblies responsible for accommodation and other peculiar needs of health personnel posted to the districts.
“I think that the doctor-patient ratio in the Wa Regional Hospital and the entire region is very disturbing and our politicians must show much interest and must be seen to be working to address these issues,” the regional director said pathetically.
The medical director at the hospital, Dr Aduko Amiah, also expressed grave concern about the absence of adequate nurses at the hospital.
He said all the nurses at the hospital were ageing and that there was the need to really work hard to attract and retain younger ones.
He also expressed concern about the distance between the maternity ward of the hospital and the theatre, saying it was not in the best interest of both the medical personnel and the patients to have a theatre very far away from the maternity ward.
Dr Amiah, therefore, suggested that a theatre be constructed close to the maternity ward to avert any unforeseen problems.
Responding, the regional minister, Alhaji Issahaku Salia, said the RCC recognised the vital role health personnel played in the region and gave an assurance that he and his outfit were ever ready to assist in improving on healthcare delivery in the region.
He emphasised the need for the two institutions to collaborate effectively to address the challenges confronting the hospital.
The regional minister later donated 20 pieces of mattresses, a bull and 16 bags of cereals to the hospital.