Health care delivery in the Upper East under threat

Dr John Koku Awoonor-Williams

Performance indicators have shown that health care delivery in the Upper East Region has over the past years achieved some appreciable feat in terms of access to health especially in deprived communities of the region.

The region in the year under review has chalked up some successes in the area of adolescent and family health, disease surveillance, Malaria and HIV and AIDS, supervised delivery, new born care and institutional maternal mortality among other indicators. For instance with regards to institutional mortality, the region is said to have recorded the lowest in the country.

Despite these enviable achievements, theft of medical equipment and harassment of health staff has become a worrying trend affecting the effective delivery of health services in the region.

The Regional Director of Health Service, Dr John Koku Awoonor–Williams disclosed this at the Region’s Health Sector Half Year Performance Review Meeting in Bolgatanga.

The meeting was attended by dignitaries including the Director General of the Ghana Health Services, Dr. Ebenezer Appiah Denkyirah, health workers as well as representatives of development partners and NGOs.

Speaking on the Theme" Implementation of Adolescent Health Services: The Role of Community Health Workers, the Deputy Upper East Regional Minister, Daniel Syme, commended the various health staff and community health volunteers for their dedicated service in bringing quality health care to the door step of the people.

Mr Syme, seized the opportunity to assure the directorate that efforts will be made to stem the tide of theft and harassment on health staff and called for effective collaboration by stakeholders and community members.


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Users of Bolgatanga Regional Library appeals to Gov’t and Corporate Ghana for support

Children reading in the dark

A defect at the library

Regional Librarian, John Ayeseya

Library Complex

Some outmoded reading materials

People that patronize the Bolgatanga Regional Library have lamented on the poor state of the facility. Since the establishment of the library, there has not been any major rehabilitation. Currently, the library lacks reading and learning materials required by student’s preparing for their respective public examinations.

In the face of intermittent power outages, the facility lacks a standby generator, making it uncomfortable for users to utilize the facility any time power goes off. Beyond that the library has no toilet facilities while building has developed some defects, due to its state of disrepair and neglect.

In an interview with URA News, the Regional Librarian, John Ayeseya said plans are afoot to improve the facility but funding has been a major challenge. Radio Ghana’s Upper East Regional Correspondent Isaac Asare reports that the Bolgatanga Regional Library which operates under the Ghana Library Board was officially inaugurated in June 27, 1969 by the then Chairman of the Board, Professor L.H Ofosu Appiah.

The facility is capable of holding 8,000 volumes of reserve book stock and can boast of an adult library, children’s library and a lecture hall capable of accommodating more than 100 people.

Since its establishment, the library has seen no major rehabilitation. It has been in a deteriorated condition for a long time with facilities far overstretched. Due to the magnitude of the problem, some of the students that patronize the library are compelled to sit outside the facility to read and write.

Some of students say they no longer find the environment relatively conducive for reading. Beyond that a cross section of students and members of the public that patronize the Library are forced to read under trees due to the deplorable state of the facilities at the library.

A visit to the center by Radio Ghana showed that facilities at the library have become old and dilapidated. There were no modern books on the shelves, while the chairs and tables have broken down. According to some, they often visit the library with their own books because the library has no new books on its shelves.

Some of the users of the facility who shared their frustration with Radio Ghana pleaded with the authorities to upgrade the library by stocking it with modern books and furniture.

Records has it that more than fifty thousand people including workers use the library annually. Lamenting on the poor state of the library, The Regional Librarian, Thomas Ayeseya, said the facility was faced with a myriad of challenges including lack of funds.

Mr Ayeseya, stressed that the physical resources of the library had not been expanded to meet the increasing demand and fit the status of a modern library. Mr Ayeseya, however called for urgent attention by authorities concerned to help put the facility in shape.

Over the years, the Bolgatanga Regional Library had been battling with the issue of funds to resource the facility.

In spite of the challenges, donations from individuals and groups had also reduced drastically. To this effect, the morale of staff working at the library has waned as they found it difficult to meet up with their welfare.

The only mobile van which is supposed to visit communities in the various districts thrice a year is unable to do so due to lack of funds to purchase fuel.

The Regional Librarian said problems facing the library could be surmounted if adequate funds were provided.

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Government to enforce restrictions on movement of poultry products beyond Greater Accra

Dep Min of Agric in-charge of Livestock, Dr Hannah Bissiw

The Deputy Minister of Agriculture in charge of Livestock, Dr Hannah Bissiw, has allayed fears of any outbreak of bird flu in some areas other than in Greater Accra, Ashanti and the Volta Regions.

Speaking with Radio Ghana's Isaac Asare in Bolgatanga Dr Bissiw said considering the magnitude of the outbreak in the said areas, government is on course to restrict the movement of poultry products and feeds beyond Greater Accra, especially areas that share border with neighbouring countries.

According to Dr Bissiw, the security agencies will be officially informed to facilitate the enforcement of the ban.

She entreated poultry farmers to acquire veterinary certification before moving their birds, adding that offenders will have their products confiscated and destroyed.

Dr Bissiw further pleaded with poultry farmers to respect the directive to ensure safety.

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Government Outlines Conditions Of Service For Health Workers Including Doctors

Government has come up with a twelve-chapter framework stipulating conditions of service for Health Workers, including the Ghana Medical Association, GMA.

The move indicates government's willingness and commitment to provide codified working conditions for all health workers including the GMA.

Speaking to Radio Ghana, the Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, Haruna Iddrisu, said the ministry is concerned about the impasse over conditions of service, stating that government is ready to resolve their grievances.

This, he said, can be realized if the leadership of the GMA is able to provide a level playing field for negotiations to take place.

The sector minister however reiterated calls for the striking doctors to resume work while engaging government in negotiations.

Mr. Iddrisu was alarmed at media reports about the number of deaths recorded at the various health facilities as a result of the strike by members of the GMA.

He said lives lost can never be replaced and therefore innocent citizens should not be made to suffer the consequences of the withdrawal of services by striking doctors.

Mr Iddrisu, reiterated government’s readiness to complete all negotiations for incorporation into next year’s budget and asked the GMA to save lives by engaging government in a productive social dialogue.

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