Nkoranza District needs more medical staff

Nkoranza (B/A), June 17, GNA - Mr. Richard Kwasi Hinneh, Nkoranza South District Director of Health Services, has expressed concern about inadequate health workers in health facilities in the district. He told the Ghana News Agency at Nkoranza that the district had a population of 100,281 people with seven health centres, a hospital and a Community Health Planning Service (CHPS) centre but these health facilities have staff strength of 212.

The directorate has trained 228 Community Based Surveillance Volunteers and 56 traditional birth attendants supporting staff at the facilities. Mr Hinneh said the St. Theresa's Hospital at Nkoranza served as the only referral centre for cases in the Nkoranza South and Nkoranza North districts adding that as a result there was always pressure on the health workers at the hospital.

Mr. Hinneh said a doctor-patient ratio in the health facilities stood at 3,879 patients to one doctor whilst a nurse also attends to more than 2,710 patients.

He said the district has only one and appealed to the Ghana Health Service to arrange for incentive packages to doctors who accept postings to the area.

Mr. Charles Kwasi Gyamfi, District Disease Control Officer, commended the nurses and other health workers serving at the health outfits in the district for their hard and dedicated services that enabled the district to exceed the set target of the Expanded Programme on Immunization. He said he was grateful to the Medical Assistant Programme (MAP) International, a United States non-governmental organisation for their financial and logistical support towards the treatment of buruli ulcer in the area.