Saltpond (C/R), June 27, GNA - The Mfantseman District Assembly is to sponsor the training of a number of doctors as from next year to stem the shortage of medical doctors at health facilities in the District.

Mr Robert Quainoo-Arthur, District Chief Executive (DCE), announced this at a ceremony where the Children's Ward of the Saltpond Hospital was named after the late Pope John Paul II at Saltpond at the weekend. He said the Assembly was aware that the workload at health facilities would increase with the take-off of the National Health Insurance Scheme and that there was the need to train more health workers.

Mr Quainoo-Arthur said the Assembly had sponsored the training of 11 health aids to assist doctors and nurses in the discharge of their duties. He said government was aware of the difficult conditions under which doctors and nurses worked hence the institution of two schemes:

The Additional Hours Allowance (ADHA) and the Rural Incentives Scheme to increase their earnings. The DCE appealed to health workers to reciprocate these interventions by resisting the temptation of falling prey to the growing desire to seek "greener pastures". He advised the people to register with the District Mutual Health Insurance Scheme to enable them to access quality health care.