Bogoso (W/R), March 10, GNA – Mr. Joseph Kwame Sampson, the Prestea Huni-Valley Municipal Health Director, has appealed to traditional authorities to assist health workers posted to their communities to secure decent accommodation.

He said many of the health workers sent to the communities were finding it difficult to get accommodation and this was not helpful to efforts at improving the quality of health services.

Speaking at the 2021 annual performance review meeting of the directorate held in Bogoso, said the lack of accommodation had become a huge concern as many nurses and other health workers “are refusing to accept posting to the municipality”.

He told the meeting that despite steps taken to improve the doctor and nurse population ratio as well as that of midwife to women in production age, the figures were not encouraging.

The doctor to patient ratio stood at 1:108,007, during the period under review, compared with the 2020 figure of 1:105, 989. That the nurse to patient was 1: 933 as against the previous year’s 1:629 and the midwife to women in productive age was not any better – from 1:862 in 2020, this reduced to 1:741 in 2021.

“That is why we are engaging our community leaders so that at least they will stand in for the directorate in their respective communities and resolve this accommodation challenge for us,” Mr. Sampson stated.

He indicated that “some individuals or institutions can offer accommodation freely to the newly posted health officers or even at a cheaper rate, so they would be comfortable and provide the best service to the citizenry”.

Giving an overview of the directorate’s performance during the year under review, Mr. Sampson said total out-patient department (OPD) attendance increased from 134,723 to 158,700 in 2021.

Out of the figure, 65,046 had not registered for the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

He called for the Managers of the NHIS to ensure payment of all the outstanding claims submitted by the health facilities.

Dr Isaac Dasmani, Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), said efforts were being made to fix bad roads in the area to aid smooth and safe transport of patients to the referral facilities.

GNA

Bogoso (W/R), March 10, GNA – Mr. Joseph Kwame Sampson, the Prestea Huni-Valley Municipal Health Director, has appealed to traditional authorities to assist health workers posted to their communities to secure decent accommodation.

He said many of the health workers sent to the communities were finding it difficult to get accommodation and this was not helpful to efforts at improving the quality of health services.

Speaking at the 2021 annual performance review meeting of the directorate held in Bogoso, said the lack of accommodation had become a huge concern as many nurses and other health workers “are refusing to accept posting to the municipality”.

He told the meeting that despite steps taken to improve the doctor and nurse population ratio as well as that of midwife to women in production age, the figures were not encouraging.

The doctor to patient ratio stood at 1:108,007, during the period under review, compared with the 2020 figure of 1:105, 989. That the nurse to patient was 1: 933 as against the previous year’s 1:629 and the midwife to women in productive age was not any better – from 1:862 in 2020, this reduced to 1:741 in 2021.

“That is why we are engaging our community leaders so that at least they will stand in for the directorate in their respective communities and resolve this accommodation challenge for us,” Mr. Sampson stated.

He indicated that “some individuals or institutions can offer accommodation freely to the newly posted health officers or even at a cheaper rate, so they would be comfortable and provide the best service to the citizenry”.

Giving an overview of the directorate’s performance during the year under review, Mr. Sampson said total out-patient department (OPD) attendance increased from 134,723 to 158,700 in 2021.

Out of the figure, 65,046 had not registered for the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

He called for the Managers of the NHIS to ensure payment of all the outstanding claims submitted by the health facilities.

Dr Isaac Dasmani, Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), said efforts were being made to fix bad roads in the area to aid smooth and safe transport of patients to the referral facilities.

GNA