Accra, Aug. 31, GNA - Dr Kwaku Afriyie, Minister of Health, on Tuesday presented a cheque for 25.824 million cedis to the Dangbe West District in the Greater Accra Region for selected health professionals in the district.

The amount is part of a total package of 1.785 billion cedis provided by government to some selected districts under the "Deprived Area Incentive Package" for selected health professionals.

The monthly package was instituted in June this year to attract health personnel to deprived areas to ensure a fair distribution of health professionals and to improve the health service situation in such areas.

Dr Afriyie said it would be enjoyed by only the selected health personnel - doctors, nurses, laboratory technicians, X-ray technicians and pharmacists - who were serving in 55 five deprived areas. He said one district in the Greater Accra Region was selected, Eastern Region (two), Volta Region (five), Central Region (nine), Western Region (seven), Ashanti Region (five), Brong Ahafo (four), Upper East (five) and Northern (12).

Dr Afriyie said this marked the beginning of practical collaboration between the district assemblies and the ministry. He said the amount would be given each year to all selected personnel and any staff that decided to leave the district would forfeit the package.

Mr Kwame Tetteh Korly Agban, District Chief Executive, said there was the need to sponsor the training of nurses from the district who would return to serve in the district.

He appealed to the government to ensure that the selection of nurses from the districts for training was done from the districts. According to Mr Amponsah Bediako, Governments spokesperson at the Ministry of Health, the other districts had collected their cheques already.