Regional News of Tuesday, 19 July 2005

Source: GNA

Poor communication deters doctors from going to Adansi South

New Edubiase (Ash), July 19, GNA - The poor communication network in the Adansi South District of Ashanti Region is deterring medical doctors from accepting postings to the district.

The telecommunication network of Ghana Telecom, which operated in the district, according to the Ghana News Agency investigations, was grossly ineffective, while mobile telecommunication service was non-existent.

The investigations showed that the only government hospital at New Edubiase, the district capital, was supposed to be manned by four medical doctors but only one was at post.

It indicated that last year, about four doctors were posted to the hospital but only one accepted the posting. The remaining refused because they could not use their mobile phones there.

When the Ghana News Agency contacted Mr Daniel Ohene Karikari, the Administrator at the New Edubiase Hospital on the issue, he confirmed the findings of the investigations.

He said the poor communication network in the district was a disincentive to doctors posted there, adding that, the refusal of doctors to accept postings to the only hospital in the district had put a lot of pressure on the only doctor at the hospital. Mr Karikari said the communication problem compelled many health personnel to travel every weekend to visit their families and appealed to cell phone operators connect New Edubiase to their networks, to attract doctors and other professionals to the area.