President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has issued a call to all members of the healthcare community, urging them to accept postings around the country, particularly in regions with the highest demand for their services.
When he brought up the problem of the rejection of health professionals to relocate to some sections of the country where the demand is greater, Mr. Akufo-Addo made the appeal when he was speaking out against it.
On Friday, June 16, he exhorted the workers to emulate their forebears, who accepted to work in any region of the country at a time when the situation was even more precarious than it is at the present time. He was speaking at the ceremonies for the 60th anniversary of the School of Nursing and Midwifery at the University of Ghana.
Akufo-Addo appeals to health workers
“Our nursing and midwifery schools have a strong reputation in the community and have a long history of producing qualified nurses and midwives who have no trouble finding work in any region of the world.”
“However, after 66 years of our nation’s existence, the nurse-population ratio in our country has not improved and continues to be inadequate. In some of our regions, districts, and more economically disadvantaged communities — particularly in the newly-created regions and districts — the number of healthcare professionals who possess the appropriate assortment of skills and areas of expertise is currently insufficient.
The fact that nurses are turning down postings is very upsetting. I would like to make use of this forum in order to exhort all those in the medical field to learn from the illustrious example set by your illustrious ancestors, who gladly took postings during their early years despite the fact that the national infrastructure was even more challenging than it is today.
Because of this, he remarked, “Therefore, I am appealing to you with as much passion as I can muster to accept postings to all regions and district hospitals where the demand for your services is at its highest.”