Doctors refusing postings to Bono, Ahafo Region due to lack of accommodation - GMA chairman reveals

The Chairman of the Ghana Medical Association( GMA) of the Brong Ahafo Division, Alexander Kofi Egote, has revealed that some medical doctors have been refusing postings to the Bono, Ahafo, and Bono East Regions due to lack of accommodation.

The situation, according to Dr. Egote, has led to the three Bono Regions recording a woefully inadequate number of doctors putting access to holistic healthcare in danger. He said the remote districts of these regions are the most affected.

Speaking at the general meeting of the GMA, BA Division held at Kintampo in the Bono East Region on Saturday, September 30, 2023, he disclosed that the Bono Region has a total number of 123 medical doctors representing a doctor-to-patient ratio of 1:9,756 while the Ahafo Region has as low as 74 medical doctors representing 1:6,007 doctor to patient ratio.

Doctor to doctor-to-patient ratio in the Bono East region, he said, is currently around 1:12,632. This, he said is far below the WHO's recommended Doctor-patient ratio.

"Per the Ghana Medical and Dental Council Data, we have 7,500 giving a Doctor to Patient ratio of 1:4,000. The rural doctor-patient ratio currently stands at 1:18,207 as against urban 1:4,099. World Health Organization, WHO recommends a Doctor-patient ratio of 1:1,000. Now let's come to our Division; Ahafo Region has a doctor, and a patient ratio of 1:6,007, so a deficit of five thousand ( 5,000). Bono Region has a Doctor-patient ratio of 1:9, 756 because Bono has about 123 Doctors whilst Ahafo has about 74 Doctors. Now back to Bono East. We have a Doctor-patient ratio of 1:12, 632 which is woefully inadequate for holistic Healthcare coverage as against WHO of 1:1,000. So we are lacking about 11,008", he said.

He, therefore, appealed to the government and other stakeholders to intervene in resolving this challenge to help increase access to healthcare in the regions.

"The time to attract and retain more Doctors in the three regions is now. I hope everyone will support generously for the achievement of this. We are appealing to the government, Nananom, corporate organizations, the assembly can play a key role, and other stakeholders within the health industry to support in providing accommodation for doctors and other health workers posted to the region", he added.

Meanwhile, a former president of the Ghana Medical Association, GMA, Kwabena Opoku Adusei who now serves as the Director of the Kintampo College of Health and Wellbeing, added his voice to the matter.

He said, "Sometimes when we [doctors] come out to talk about what we go through, the public think that doctors like fighting, we like striking, we like demonstration. It looks like nobody wants to listen to us. That's how the issue is. Imagine, a Doctor going somewhere to work and there's no accommodation, sometimes, no office; a lot of them face this. So we shouldn't blame the doctors too much for refusing postings to rural areas. It is the things they need to enable them to work that are not available. That's why we are appealing to the government, the district assemblies, and the chiefs to assist".

On his part, the Bono East Regional Health Director, Fred Adomako Boateng said that aside from the need to provide befitting accommodation for medical doctors, especially those posted to the country's remote areas, there's also the need for government to provide them with other motivating incentives like special allowances, scholarships and other educational packages.