Story Benjamin Makafui Attipoe, Nsuta
The Oti Regional Directorate of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) has organized the 2023 Annual Performance Review Meeting of health stakeholders of the region at Nsuta near Jasikan in the Jasikan District of the Oti Region.
The two (2)-day conference brought together duty bearers of health from the nine (9) administrative districts and municipalities of the region as well as some health partners from within and outside the region.
The meeting which was under the theme, ‘Achieving Universal Health Coverage Through the Network of Practice Approach’, discussed the performance of health staff and health facilities across the region in the 2023 year under review and also strategized through the use of good practices as to how to improve performance in the coming years.
Presentations from the various District and Municipal Health Directorates of the region at the conference as well as the various Hospitals and Health Cantres in the region amongst others have shown modest improvements in most of the performance indicators in the year 2023 as compared to the previous year.
Addressing the meeting, the Regional Director of the GHS, Dr Osei Kuffour Afreh, disclosed that six (6) pregnant women painfully lost their lives in the region during the year under review through maternal deaths due to the region’s lack of capacity to handle and manage such cases. According to him, there is no single obstetrician gynecologist in the region, a development that has contributed to the maternal mortality situation of the Oti Region.
Dr Afreh noted that the region is in dire need of specialist gynecologists and a few other specialists, explaining that the current medical officers can do their best but when the situation is beyond their control, they would need the services of such specialists to assist take care of such difficult situations.
He regretted that the number of doctors in the region is reducing because those leaving for further studies are not being replaced, adding that this is having a great toll on quality healthcare delivery in the region.
On the conflict situation in the Nkwanta South Municipality, the Regional Director expressed grave worry about the situation.
He lamented that apart from his office being bombarded with several release application letters from many health workers to leave the region, other health staff from other regions are also refusing to accept postings to the area and region as a whole.
Dr Afreh noted that the conflict has greatly affected the performance of the health staff in the area and used the opportunity to appeal to the chiefs and stakeholders including the municipal assembly to come together to smoke the peace pipe in order to promote the developmental agenda of the area. ‘The curfew is okay but a lot more has to be done by way of dialogue to address the situation’, Dr Afreh stated.
Touching on the HIV/AIDS situation in the region, the Regional Director described the 1.5 prevalent rate as one of the lowest in the country, adding that the Directorate is doing its best to champion efforts to bring more education to the residents and communities in the region in order to enable them identify and do away with the risk behaviors and factors that predispose them to HIV infection.
Dr Afreh reminded the youth that the pandemic is still available and urged them to always put up acceptable behaviours in order to avoid contracting the disease.
He gave the assurance that enough medications are in stock for HIV infected persons and called on such persons to visit the nearest health facility for the needed care and support. Dr. Afreh also urged the citizens of the region to embrace the HIV campaign dubbed, ’95-95-95’ where ninety-five (95) percent of the population is being encouraged to test and know their HIV status.
The Chief Director of the Oti Regional Co-ordinating Council (ORCC), Mr Harry Kwatei commended the Regional Director of Health and all the hardworking health staff of the region for their continuous sacrifices and dedication to the provision of quality healthcare services to the people of the region. He described as very exciting the modest improvements in the performance key health indicators of the region over the years such as in immunization and neonatal health amongst others, following the hardwork of staff and with support from the donor health partners.
The Chief Director noted that the RCC is aware of the daunting challenges facing healthcare delivery in the region, assuring that the RCC would do everything within its power to create a conducive environment for health workers to operate.
Mr Kwatei urged health workers in the region to continue not only to embrace innovation but also adhere to good practices, ensuring relevance and effectiveness. He gave the assurance that the RCC and the Municipal and District Assemblies (MDAs) in the region would continue to support and expand health facilities in the region in addition to providing incentives to attract more health staff to the region.
