Minister advocates for medical school in Upper East to solve health staff shortage

Donatus Atanga Akamugri, the Upper East Regional Minister is determined to create a medical school in the region, citing staffing limitations prompted by concerns for safety and limited professional opportunities that prevent healthcare workers from accepting postings. “You correctly noted why people are refusing posting to this area.

Basically, the fact that it is an economic factor, and some other issues, it’s about the approach they brought up and certain views on the region and how people also become familiar with the locality. He stated that “So if we address this issues by making sure that we provide a training center, like the medical school, that is going to take off in the region, and people brought up here are trained, one thing is that, they will disabuse their minds.”

During an official visit to the Upper East Regional Hospital, the Minister revealed that he had previously met with the Vice Chancellor of the C.K. Tedam University of Technology and Applied Sciences (CKT-UTAS) to discuss plans to build a medical school at the university. He believes this will help solve the problem of inadequate healthcare professionals in the region.

“ Beside that, when they (medical doctors and health professionals) come to the Upper East, what are the chances for them to build on. People will come to this place and then if you come here as a medical person and you have no place for further learning. This is also a strong discouraging factor and it will prevent the people from relocating to this area for work.

“So if we are bringing up a facility like a medical school where professionals in the health sector will have an opportunity to gain more knowledge, we will in a way provide a solution to the shortfall of health professionals in the region.”

The Minister also drew to attention that the region’s vulnerability during the recent nurses’ strike, noting that a medical school would not only train local professionals but also attract healthcare investments and create a more conducive environment for health sector development.

He highlighted that “We are worst hit by the nurses strike because we do not have many of the private sector players in this sector. If we were to have many of such private sector players, at least it would be minimal because people would have the alternative. If the central government one is not working, I would go to the other area. But they are countable and it is even in the regional capital you are taking about.”

Dr Braimah Baba Abubakari, the Upper East Regional Health Director, praised the minister for the initiative, emphasizing that he is already in communication with the management of the university to ensure successful beginning of medical programmes at the school.

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