Bolgatanga, June 21, GNA - Mr. Mark Woyongo, Upper East Regional Minister, said on Friday that government was committed to invest massively in the infrastructural development of the health sector. To this effect, every community with a population of 500 or more would be provided with a health centre. Mr. Woyongo, who announced this during a joint matriculation ceremony of four health institutions in Bolgatanga, said every district in the region would be provided with a hospital, while some regional hospitals would be upgraded to modern facilities. A total of 662 students drawn from Bolgatanga Nursing Training College, Bawku Presbyterian Nursing Training College, Navrongo Community Health Training School and the Health Assistance Training School (Clinical) in Zuarungu, near Bolgatanga graduated. The Regional Minister said government had adopted pragmatic measures aimed at providing quality health care delivery and to promote disease prevention.

Mr Woyongo said it was rather unfortunate that the state lacked the requisite number of health personnel to offer efficient health services, saying the situation was worse in the region, as the ratio of medical officers per patient is 1: 34629 while that of professional nurses per patient is 1:5177.

He appealed to health professionals posted to the region, to report to duty to assist in promoting health delivery in the area and assured them of accommodation and other facilities to ensure their comfort. Mr. Woyongo urged the Municipal and District assemblies to consider increasing the number of students they sponsor to train as nurses. Mr. James Yambor, President of the Conference of Heads of Health Training Institutions (COHHET) expressed concern that qualified tutors of health training schools are refusing postings to the region. He said COHHET were facing a lot of problems that is threatening to hinder their performance, saying since January, they had not received funds to run their schools.

Other challenges he said, include, inadequate residential accommodation facilities, teaching and learning materials, clinical supervision of students and number of tutors. He appealed to the Ministry of Health to ensure that adequate funds are released to the schools otherwise the second semester course would be suspended.

Mr. Felix Nyante, Deputy Registrar, Supervision and Regional Co-ordinator of the Nurses Midwives Council of Ghana, asked the students to be self disciplined in order to reflect in their professional life.