The Upper East Regional Minister, Alhaji Limuna Mohammed–Muniru on Thursday paid tribute to the Cuban Doctors Brigade for contributing significantly to health delivery system in the country.

He said particularly at this trying moment when Government doctors and pharmacists are on strike.

The Regional Minister, who made the commendation at the 14th Cuban-Ghana Regional Medical Scientific Workshop held at Bolgatanga to review work performance and new health research findings, said without the Cuban doctors the health situation in the country and the Region would have been bad.

The Upper East Region for the years had been experiencing doctors’ deficit.

Doctors, who are usually posted to the area refused postings leading to acute shortage in the area.

Alhaji Mohammed–Muniru said since the 1990s when Government of Ghana and Cuban Government signed joint agreement on health, medical brigade from Cuba came to Ghana on yearly basis to contribute to the health delivery system, particularly the deprived areas such as the three northern regions.

He assured the Brigade that Government would do everything possible to make their living in Ghana very comfortably and urged them to continue with their good work.

Doctor Koku Awoonor–Williams, the Upper East Regional Director of the Ghana Health Service said Cuban Gynecologists provided emergency obstetric care in the Region until 2007 when the only Ghanaian Gynecologist, Dr Peter Baffoe accepted posting to the Region.

He stated that between 2008 and 2009, Cuban doctors successfully managed 540 emergency obstetric cases representing 50 per cent of total cases.

“In 2008 and 2009 Cuban Gynecologists again successfully managed 30 rapture uterus cases and conducted a study which led to quality care improvement interventions in the West Mamprusi District in the Northern Region where most of the cases were reported,” Doctor Awoonor-Williams stated.

The Regional Director of Health Service impressed upon the Regional Coordinating Council to implement the principles and recommendations that were drafted by stakeholders aimed at attracting and retaining doctors and other health personnel into the Region.

He said unless those recommendations were implemented, most doctors posted to the Region would continue to refuse posting to the area and the health situation would continued to become deplorable.