The Upper East Regional Chairman of the Ghana Registered Nurses And Midwifery Council – GRNMC, Mr. Thomas Lambon and about 167 health personnel in the Upper East Region have applied to the regional director of health through their district health directors for transfer out of the region.
This was disclosed by the Upper East Regional Director of the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Emmanuel Kofi Dzotsi at the conference hall of the Upper East Regional hospital when the Upper East Regional Minister, Hon.Stephen Yakubu paid a working visit to the premier hospital of the region to familiarize and interact with staff of the facility.
Dr Emmanuel Kofi Dzotsi said the number of health personnel who on daily basis put in transfer request out of the region is a major concern to him and the health sector in the region.
Elaborating further on the development, Dr.Emmanuel said “what is even worrying in all this is that majority of these personnel who want to leave the region are from here”
He said if all the numbers are granted their request to leave the region, health delivery in the region will be severely hampered. “if I release this number out of the region, health delivery will be severely hampered. There will not be nurses in some of our facilities.”
In response to a question posed by Hon. Yakubu as to who will want to leave the region and why? The regional chairman of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwifery Council, Mr. Thomas Lambon raised his hand as one who will want to leave.
Mr. Lambon, an anesthetist, said he has already made the request to leave the region to another region after working in the region for 21 years. He said apart from that, he will want to leave to the southern part of Ghana for greener pastures.
“ I have served in this region for 21 years and so if director gives me the opportunity I will go to Accra”
Another health worker, Tepker Benjamin, a nurse at the emergency ward said he will want to leave the region if given the opportunity. Mr. Benjamin cited non-availability of working equipments and poor conditions of service as basis for his request.
“ I feel this kind of work we do, everybody’s wish is to have it very convenient and have it flow the way it should. If I come out of school as an emergency nurse, I expect to find myself in a unit where my work will be made easier. So if I come out of school and I’m not able to put my expertise to proper use due to non-availability of equipments, I feel rusty- I feel I’m not playing the role I should.”
“ we have colleagues who are down south In government facilities and they feel comfortable. Once in a while, there is a package for them , there is a form of motivation that comes to them. Maybe end of year, they are nourished well. It makes them feel the future is bright, there is hope. But where the setup is made such a way that at your place of work you are struggling to deliver because the equipments to work with are not there and you keep getting assurance that it is going to be well, the desire to be here wouldn’t be there.”
Hon. Yakubu in response to their concerns, expressed his disappointment at the quest by individuals to leave the region.
He said though the condition of work might not be the best, it is better compared to the south when you consider rent and transportation and other issues.
He admonished the staff to rethink the idea of leaving the region.
“ I want all of you to reconsider your decision. I intend to work with you to change things In the region. You shouldn’t be a cowards , you should say yes I want to stay here and work with management to change this in this hospital. That is what we should be doing as Ghanaians, not to be running away from problems. And I believe that this hospital is going to change for the better and I can see that the regional director and his team are working hard to make that happen”
The regional minister as part of his working visit to health institutions, visited the Zuarungu Midwifery and Nursing Training College, Bolgatanaga Nursing Training college, Bolgatanaga Midwifery Training college and the Upper East Regional Hospital to familiarise and interact with management, staff and students.
By: Simon Agana/mywordfmonline.com