Zebilla (UER), Feb. 19, GNA - The Zebilla District Director of Health Services, Madam Rosemond Azure, has cautioned health personnel to desist from releasing official motorbikes supplied to them to non-staff for their own personal gain at the expense of the state. She said this was one of the causes of the transportation problem facing health personnel on outreach programmes to remote parts of the District.

Madam Azure was speaking at an end of year awards ceremony at Zebilla on Saturday to honour 15 health personnel for their dedication and commitment.

They were given prizes ranging from suitcases, bicycles, 3-burner gas stoves and cylinders, 14" and 21" inch colour television sets and a certificate each for their meritorious service over the year. Baba Mohammed Alhassan, who was adjudged the overall best worker, received a tabletop refrigerator and a certificate. Madam Azure urged the personnel to handle the few motorbikes at their disposal well to save the Service from using the scarce funds at its disposal to maintain them instead of using such money to improve service delivery.

She commended them for working hard in spite of inadequate staff to gain a respectable image for the Service and urged them to continue to strive for excellence.

The District Chief Executive, Mr. Moses Abaare Appiah, announced a number of projects being implemented by the District Assembly to attract and retain health personnel and to improve health care delivery. He said the projects included the provision of accommodation and streetlights and a standby generator for the Zebilla Hospital and water supply to the Binaba Health Centre.

He said the Assembly was sponsoring the training of 33 nurses as part of efforts to address the acute shortage of staff as well as to reduce pressure on those at post.

The DCE noted that the number of people registering for the health insurance scheme, which began last December, was not encouraging and urged the operators to intensify their campaign. The Medical Superintendent of the Zebilla Hospital, Dr. William Gudu, acknowledged the hard work of the staff under trying conditions leading to the District Hospital being adjudged the best in the Upper East Region and the second best in the country.

He said in spite of these laudable achievements, the Hospital faced difficult challenges in its drive to offer effective health care to the people and urged staff not to relent in their efforts.

Dr Gudu said the challenges included lack of an Isolation Ward, catering and laundry facilities, poor road network and encroachment on its land and appealed to the Assembly for assistance to fence the Hospital.

He said 2,832 in-patients and 22,353 outpatients attended the Hospital last year as compared to 2,465 and 21,647 in 2004.