The President of the Upper West Regional House of Chiefs, Naa Dikomwine Domalae, has appealed to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to equip the regional hospital with the equipment needed to improve health care delivery in the region.

He said health and development were interrelated, as a healthy workforce engendered the needed development, and therefore, providing the necessary equipment would enable the facility to function as a regional hospital to deliver quality healthcare services to the people.

Naa Domalae, who is also the Daffiama-Naa commended President Akufo-Addo for commissioning the Hospital, saying, “the health of the people must always be prioritized over all other things.”

He appealed when he chaired the Upper West Regional Health Sector 2023 Annual Performance Review conference held in Wa on the theme: “Improving maternal, newborn and nutrition services through quality improvement initiatives”.

The Regional Health Directorate organised the conference for stakeholders in the health sector to review and identify performance gaps, share experiences, and come out with strategies to improve and strengthen health service delivery in the region.

Naa Domalae said the region had not met the doctor-patient ratio target yet and appealed to sons and daughters who were medical doctors to avail themselves of posting to the region to help close the gap.

He urged stakeholders, including municipal and district assemblies, to provide residential accommodation and some incentive packages to help motivate doctors to accept posting to the region to render services.

The Daffiama Naa applauded the President for implementing the “Agenda 111 Programme”, which he said was an unparalleled opportunity to transform the country’s healthcare system by creating 101 district hospitals, six regional hospitals in the newly created regions, and two specialised hospitals across the country.

“I will however, appeal to President Akufo-Addo to put in a word to ensure their timely completion,” he said.

Dr. Hafiz Bin Salih, the Upper West Regional Minister who graced the occasion, announced that work was ongoing on the five hospitals under construction under the agenda 111 Programme and gave the assurance that some would be completed by 2024.

He said the regional coordinating council had also put in place plans to reward outstanding health workers in the region who worked relentlessly to save lives during the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said the Northern Development Authority had also provided 28 tricycle ambulances, which were distributed to the Regional Health Directorate to help Strengthen the movement of referral of patients from the hinterlands to the regional and district hospitals on time for medical attention.

Dr. Bin Salih said the regional coordinating council was collaborating with the ministry of health to improve the staffing situation at the Community Based Health and Planning Service to enhance quality healthcare delivery.

In addition, the Council was also working closely with municipal and district assemblies for the provision of residential accommodation and essential social incentives to attract doctors and other critical health personnel to the region to improve quality healthcare services.

William Frimpong-Bonsu, a member of the Ghana Health Service Council said the Council had put in place a national excellent award scheme for health workers who distinguished themselves during their duties.

He appealed to the regional coordinating councils, traditional leaders, organisations and corporate bodies, Nongovernmental organisations, development partners, and district assemblies to support the Council to recognise and honour outstanding workers across the country.