Pay for DG's retirement package - GHS directs 'poor' health facilities

Public health facilities throughout the Northern Region have been directed to cough out a stated amount towards the retirement of the outgoing Director General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) Dr Ebenezer Appiah-Denkyira investigations by mynewsgh.com have uncovered.

The situation comes at a time these health facilities are reeling over huge debts because the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) is also indebted to them with claims in arrears for several months making it impossible for them to procure consumables.

The region has been tagged as one of the poorest in the country, but these facilities which are poorer are required to raise various amounts which is estimated close to about three Hundred Thousand Ghana cedis (GH¢300,000) for the outgoing Director General who per the service conditions is already entitled mandatory retirement package and other emoluments from the state.

According to a copy of a letter signed by the Northern Regional Director of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) Dr Jacob Y Mahama, all health facilities are expected to pay up before the annual review meeting.

Parts of the letter read; “all payments must be made to the finance office of the regional health directorate”

Some District Health Director of the GHS who spoke exclusively to mynewsgh.com about the directive on ground of strict anonymity wondered why they will have to raise money in that regard indicating that they will only do it for fear of being victimized.

“We are having no option but manage to raise some money from the facilities to pay in order not to be seen as sabotaging his administration”, one of them said.