The Birim North District Health Directorate in the Eastern Region has appealed to the government and the Ghana Health Service to urgently deploy more medical doctors to the district, warning that the current shortage is placing immense pressure on healthcare delivery.
Speaking to Adom News, the Birim North District Health Director, Daniel Darby, revealed that only three doctors are currently serving a population of more than 87,000 people.
According to him, the district previously had five doctors, but two are currently on study leave, leaving the remaining three to cater for the healthcare needs of the entire district.
Mr Darby said the situation has significantly increased the workload of the available doctors, particularly at the New Abirem District Hospital.
He explained that the facility also serves patients from the neighbouring Akyemansa District, which does not have a district hospital, resulting in a higher patient load.
The Health Director warned that unless additional doctors are posted to the district, the pressure on the existing medical staff could continue to affect the quality and efficiency of healthcare services.
Meanwhile, the Birim North District Chief Executive, Hakeem Abdul Antwi, acknowledged the staffing challenges and assured residents that the Assembly is taking steps to make the district more attractive to health professionals.
According to him, one of the biggest obstacles to attracting doctors is the lack of decent accommodation.
To address the challenge, he said the Assembly has begun plans to construct residential accommodation for medical doctors and other heads of government institutions.
Mr Abdul Antwi expressed confidence that improving accommodation would encourage more health professionals to accept postings to the district and help strengthen healthcare delivery for residents.
