General News of 2012-09-12

Bagbin Appeals to Striking Health Workers

The Minister for Health, Mr Alban Bagbin, has appealed to all striking health professionals to rescind their decision and to temper justice with mercy for the sake of their innocent patients. “Even though some of their concerns are legitimate, they should be mindful of the consequences of their actions and not to make the poor and innocent patients suffer for what they are not responsible for. I am very worried about the happenings in the health sector, let’s change our ways,” he admonished.

On the claims that some striking pharmacists currently on strike have locked up their offices and taken the keys away with them, he remarked that “they have no business locking up the offices and taking the keys away because they do not belong to them”.

The minister, who was addressing health workers in Tamale yesterday, further stressed that it was always better to use dialogue in resolving stalemates and that he recognised the importance of all health professionals.

He, however, emphasised that, “I am not intimidated by threats; we would continue to do our best as you also deliver your responsibilities.”

Mr Bagbin was in Tamale as part of his tour of some health institutions in the region to ascertain the situation on the ground while giving attention to the concerns of the staff. Among the districts he is visiting are Gushiegu, Yendi, Damongo, Sawla-Tuna-Kalba and Bole.

He noted that it had become a norm for health professionals to embark on strike actions to press home their demands and indicated that they could still stay at work and offer their best “and the monies would flow. When you go chasing it, you do not get it. Money is spiritual and not physical”.

According to the minister, the government was revamping the health sector to position it to offer effective services to the people and, therefore, called for cooperation, teamwork and dedication from all stakeholders.

He said while existing hospitals were being expanded in the region, new ones were being constructed as some polyclinics had already been completed and in operation in some parts of the area.

Mr Bagbin added that his outfit was currently reviewing the operations of the Community Health Planning and Services (CHPS) to include clinical services as more professionals were being trained to support service delivery at the centres.

He announced that the ministry would soon take delivery of some air and river ambulances to augment the fleet of ambulances in operation. So far the ministry had distributed 161 ambulances to the regions as it expects the delivery of more of the special vehicles to facilitate health delivery services around the country.

In addition, the region would also benefit from the provision of digital X-Ray equipment that would be distributed to more than 20 hospitals in the country and that currently the facilities were being re-conditioned for refurbishment.

The minister also acknowledged the feat chalked up by the health directorate in the region in the elimination of the guinea worm disease from the area by not recording any incident of the disease since last year. Mr Bagbin gave an assurance that the government would continue to offer incentives to all health professionals to encourage them to stay and to offer their best. “I am glad that doctors and nurses are no more leaving and those who left are now coming back to work in the country.”

The Northern Regional Director of Health, Dr Akwasi Twumasi, observed that in spite of the rise in health training institutions in the region, there was still shortage of manpower to manage health facilities in all the 26 districts in the area.

He revealed that the 11 doctors posted to the region this year had also declined the postings. The director also expressed concern over the rising maternal mortality figures in the area and that this year it was likely to exceed 100.

Dr Twumasi underscored the urgent need for a regional hospital and polyclinics in Tamale to contain the growing need for health care.