The Upper West Region is in a dire need of medical doctors as the doctor to patient ratio is begging at 1:14,310 making the people suffer the consequences by the virtue of their location.

“Most medical doctors refuse postings to the Region. Many of those who accept postings hardly stay for long,” the Regional Minister, Alhaji Alhassan Sulemana bemoaned in a speech read on his behalf at the 60thanniversary lecture of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) at Jirapa in the region covered by MyNewsGh.com’s reporters.

According to the Regional Minister, the Region, which is the youngest in the country has over the years lagged behind, as it has not been able to enjoy the services of “qualified medical practitioners, especially medical doctors”.

He, therefore, pledged the Regional Coordinating Council’s commitment to working closely with the Regional Health Directorate to facilitate opportunities to encourage doctors to accept postings to the Region.

Alhaji Alhassan Sulemana stated the new Upper West Regional Hospital is almost at it completion stage and will require various categories of medical personnel to man it to solve health challenges of the people.

He, therefore, appealed to the Ghana Medical Association to encourage its members to accept postings to the region where the doctor-patient ratio has been awful.

The lecture was under the theme “healthcare financing in Ghana, 60 years on” and dwelt on the challenges of providing equitable and affordable healthcare delivery in the country.