Rural communities in the north lack Nurses - NGO

Mr Joseph Shaibu Mumuni, President of Kathipo Community Development, a non-governmental organization in Tamale on Tuesday observed that inadequate midwives and community health nurses was affecting the delivery of quality health services in the rural areas.

He said the few nurses at some of the health centres had to take care of the increasing number of patients, and that, the situation was affecting the output of the personnel, which needed to be addressed.

Mr Mununi said this at a day’s training workshop organized for some 45 community health volunteers from nine communities in the Northern Region to assist the most vulnerable to patronise the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in accessing healthcare.

A coalition of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) with funding from STAR Ghana, a multi-donor pooled organization funded the workshop, which aimed at ensuring that pregnant women, children under 18, persons with disabilities and the aged had access to the services of the NHIS and the Community Health Programme and Service (CHIPS) compounds.

He suggested that the authorities of the NHIS should put measures in place for a special registration to be done for vulnerable groups.

Mr Abdul Razak Brima, the Central Gonja District NHIS Manager said the scheme was one of the most effective tools that could help reduce poverty and improve health care delivery at all levels.

He schooled the participants on the scheme’s registration categories, price list for the different registration groups, waiting period and registration under free maternal care.