Dr Abukari Abdulai at the 2020 annual health performance review meeting in Nalerigu
Information available to DGN Online indicates that the North East Region lacks medical doctors, a development that is affecting health delivery in the region.
According to the Ghana Health Service, the region’s Doctor to Population ratio is 1 Doctor to 54,671 compared with the national target of 1 Doctor to 7,500.
The doctor patients ratio situation in the North East region requires a total of 62 additional medical doctors.
The region currently has 11 Medical Doctors at post, rendering clinical services and taking care of a population of 585,636.
DGN Online understands that out of 17 doctors in the North East region , four are on study leave, bringing the total number of doctors in the region currently to 11.
The North East Regional Health Director, Dr Abukari Abdulai, during the 2020 annual health performance review meeting at Nalerigu, said the region has virtually achieved the Nurse to Population Ratio which currently stands at 1 Nurse to 490 as against the National Target of 1 Nurse to 450.
The Regional Health Director said the major issues confronting region in the equitable distribution of Health Staff was the refusal of newly recruited health staff in accepting postings to some districts in the region.
“I therefore want to use this opportunity to make a passionate appeal especially to our brothers and sisters who are natives of the region to accept postings to any part of the region so that we can ensure equity in rending essential health services to the people.I also want to passionately appeal to Medical Officers and other critical staff who are natives of the North East Region to accept postings to the region as part of their social responsibilities to their mother region.”
Infrastructure for Health
In the area of infrastructure, the Regional Health Director indicated that the key challenges confronting health service delivery in the region was the inadequate number of District hospitals.
He indicated that districts such as Mamprugu-Moaduri, Bunkprurugu-Nakpanduri, Chereponi and Yunyoo-Nasuan do not have district hospitals adding that out of the 6 District Health Directorates in the region, it is only the West Mamprusi Municipal that has a standard Health Administration Office complex.
Dr. Abdulai said there is an acute shortage of accommodation noting that Deputy Directors at the Regional Health Directorate are in single-rooms rented compound houses with their associated challenges.
“The lack of residential accommodation for staff especially Medical Officers and other critical health staff also contribute to the refusal of these critical staff to accept postings to the Districts in the region.”
He said CHPS as a vehicle to deliver Primary Health Care (PHC) is vigorously being implemented by the Regional Health Management Team with a total number of 39 functional CHPS zones with a Community Health Officer (CHO) out of the 154 demarcated CHPS zones in the region and 61 have compounds constructed.
Dr. Abdulai stated that the availability of Tracer drugs at the various Health Facilities have been affected as a result of the impact of COVID-19, leading to irregular supply through the Last Mile Distribution.
“Currently the availability of medicines in some of our health facilities stands at 72% which is lower than the National Target of 90%. It is our hope that there would be improvement in the coming months.”
“with the improvement in the NHIS re-imbursement to the health facilities, we are encouraging the health facilities to redeem their indebtedness to the Northern Regional Medical Stores to ensure the availability and supply of medicines and non-medicine health commodities at the health facilities level for service delivery.”
Neonatal Mortality
The Institutional Neonatal Mortality Rate increased slightly from 2.9 per 1,000 in 2019 to 4.0 per 1,000 in 2020.
The increase in neonatal mortality was largely attributed to home deliveries and late arrival at the health facility especially in the Chereponi District as well as the use of local substances for cord care.
The fight against maternal deaths has been a major challenge in the region despite all the strategies adopted to address it.
The region recorded 10 Institutional Maternal Deaths in 2020 as it was in 2019 bringing the Institutional Maternal Mortality Ratio to 59.3 per 100,000 live births for the year 2020 compared to 59.9 per 100,000 live births for the 2019.
COVID-19
As at 16th of March 2020 , the North East had confirmed 210 COVID-19 cases.
The North East Regional Health Director , Dr Abukari Abdulai, appeal to the general public to continue observing the preventive measures as well as abide by all the Presidential Directives in the fight against the COVID-19 Pandemic.
The North East Regional Minister , Mr. Yidana Zakaria who was the special guest of honour during the 2020 annual health performance review meeting , assured that the Regional Co-ordinating Council, would strive with the health directorate to mobilize the requisite resources to meet the health needs of the people.
He noted that Government plans to put up befitting District Hospitals in 4 districts in the region namely Mamprugu-Moagduri, Chereponi, Bunkprugu-Nakpanduri and Yunyoo-Nansuan in the region.
“let me assure you of the total support of the Government of His Excellency Nana Akufo Addo in addressing the health needs of our people. Our region would continue to receive its fair share of the national cake when it comes to health.”
Mr. Zakaria encouraged the people of Mampurugu to take the opportunity to get vaccinated against the COVID-19 when the Vaccines arrives in the region and adhere to all existing protocols.
FROM Eric Kombat, Nalerigu