The Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has expressed concern over the refusal of newly posted doctors to report to their duty stations and has given them one additional week to do so.
The minister’s statement comes amid alarming figures showing that regions in critical need of personnel, such as the Upper West and Upper East, recorded zero reported cases as of last Friday.
“We will give them an additional week to appeal to them to report to their various facilities where they have been posted, after which we’ll do what we call validation,” he stated.
He stressed that the postings would not be changed.
“Unfortunately, there’s no way we are going to change anything here, unfortunately, and so we will give them one more week to report to their various health facilities,” he said.
The minister explained that the government is also engaging key stakeholders at the local level to support the doctors.
“We are also engaging the stakeholders in their respective districts—regional ministers, members of parliament, DCEs, chiefs—to facilitate their stay in their district to be able to give up their best,” he noted.
On incentives for the doctors, he added:
“We have started that ourselves, engaging them, and so the government will also look at how we can incentivise them to give up their best in these districts where they have been posted.”
He expressed confidence that the doctors would respond positively.
“I believe, and I have the strongest conviction, that our wonderful medical doctors will respond to this call,” he said.
The Health Minister also raised concerns about the uneven distribution of doctors across the country.
“Nearly 50 per cent of all medical doctors we have in this country are in Greater Accra alone. Nearly 50 per cent. Is it not scary? ” he questioned.
He indicated that the government has therefore taken a firm decision to post doctors to areas of need.
“So at this point, the government has taken a decision. Now look, let’s post these medical officers to where their services are needed most. I don’t need to say much because I know that they will respond to this call,” he added.
On efforts being made to reach the affected doctors, the minister said:
“The various facilities, the regional health directors have placed calls. We are going to follow it by electronic messages. And I am confident that they will respond.”
He further disclosed that stakeholder engagement is already underway to provide support, such as accommodation.
“I have personally engaged stakeholders to make provisions such as accommodation and other things I do not want to put out there,” he said.
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