Bolgatanga, Aug. 11, GNA - Mr Mark Woyongo, Upper East Regional Minister, on Wednesday suggested to the Regional Directorate of Health Services, to put a hold on transfers of doctors and nurses from the Region, until there is a replacement.

He said he had heard complaints from people in the region as well as the few health personnel in the area that, some of them are to be transferred to other regions.

"It is the concern of the people that the shortage of doctors and nurses would get worst if they are transferred without replacement", he added.

The Minister was speaking at a three day Health Year Performance Review Meeting of the Upper East Regional Branch of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) in Bolgatanga.

It was organized to afford the health sector, review their performance in the past six months, assess their achievements, short comings and chart the best way forward to attain their goals and targets.

Mr Woyongo commented on the poverty level in the Region in relation to the health problems and the shortage of health personnel, saying that, "I have followed closely the performance of the Health sector in the Region, particularly against, the background of the high poverty, deprivation, disease burden and illiteracy.

"Paradoxically, the region is hardest hit in terms of acute and perennial shortage of trained health professional".

He said the Regional Coordinating Council and the District Assemblies had intensified efforts at attracting the requisite health professionals, particularly doctors as well as health Infrastructure development.

The Assemblies were sponsoring and bonding medical students from the Region so that they could return to serve the people. Some of the Assemblies had also put up staff accommodation for the District Hospitals, he added

Mr Woyongo appealed to the Ministry of Health to resume the specialist outreach services in the Region and also place a full complement of specialists at the Tamale Teaching Hospital to serve the three Northern Regions.

This, he said, would also help the young Doctors to learn from the specialists to improve the health services in the hospitals.

Mr Woyongo commended the regional Health Services for working hard and making a good impact on the health of the people.

Dr John Koku Awonor-Williams, Regional Director of Health Services said the three day meeting would identify the key challenges facing the health sector in the Region and the various strategies being taken to address them.

He urged the participants, made up of the Municipal and District Directors of Health Services, GHS collaborators and other health workers, to make a meaningful contribution to the discussions.