The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Nkwanta South Municipality in the Oti Region, Joseph Antwi Awal, has announced plans to provide monthly incentives and accommodation support for doctors and nurses who accept postings to the area.
The MCE explained that the municipality has recently struggled to attract and retain healthcare professionals, primarily due to unrest and disturbances affecting parts of the region.
This situation has made some doctors and nurses hesitant to accept postings, while many government workers, particularly healthcare personnel, have requested transfers away from the municipality. Consequently, public health facilities, especially CHPS compounds, are under increased pressure.
Joseph Awal made the announcement during the annual peer review organized by the Nkwanta South Municipal Health Directorate. The review aims to monitor and assess healthcare systems and services across hospitals and CHPS compounds within the municipality, focusing on identifying gaps and improving service delivery.
In an interview with Adom News, the MCE commended healthcare professionals for their dedication to serving residents despite the challenges. He emphasized that the assembly’s support package—comprising monthly incentives and accommodation—is a practical step to encourage postings, stabilize staffing levels, and enhance healthcare delivery throughout the municipality.
He also disclosed that the Nkwanta South Municipal Assembly, in collaboration with the Member of Parliament, Geoffrey Kini, has initiated plans to renovate selected health facilities and construct nurses’ quarters at the Brewaniase Health Centre. Additionally, facilities at the Kechiebi CHPS compound, Bonakye, and Brewaniase are set to undergo renovations and upgrades, with some slated to be elevated to polyclinics to improve healthcare access and service quality.
The MCE further urged residents to remain united and work together to create an environment conducive to development, encouraging essential workers to return to the municipality.
Meanwhile, the Nkwanta South Municipal Health Director, Dr. Evans Ativor, expressed concern over the impact of conflict on healthcare delivery. He noted that outreach programs and home visitation activities have been significantly hampered, limiting the health service’s ability to reach vulnerable groups and communities that rely heavily on preventive care and routine public health interventions.
Dr. Ativor believes that with improved security, targeted incentives, and ongoing facility upgrades, the municipality can rebuild trust among healthcare workers and restore consistent healthcare services for residents.
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