Shortage of doctors in Upper West Region

HOSPITALS in the Upper West Region have been hit by an acute shortage of medical doctors, following the departure of 16 Cuban doctors after a two-year programme in the region.

currently, the Regional Hospital at Wa, which had six Cuban doctors, has only four Ghanaian doctors while Nadowli, Jirapa, Nandom and Tumu District hospitals which had two Cuban doctors each are now left without medical doctors.

This was made known by Dr Edward Gyader, the Medical Director of the Wa Regional Hospital, when the Regional Minister, Mr Sahanun Mogtari, paid a familiarisation visit to the hospital on Thursday.

Dr Gyader said as a result, patients in the four districts are flocking the Regional Hospital for medical attention. He said the Cuban doctors left in two batches at the end of July and early August, this year.

The medical director said the hospital authorities have convinced some private medical practitioners in the region to assist the hospital to cope with the workload.

The regional minister commended the doctors for their sense of duty and sacrifice to save the lives of rural dwellers instead of leaving the country to seek greener pastures.