THE DESIRE to practice medicine, but, in the remotest part of the country is turning into a nightmare for health workers who accepted postings to work at the Gushegu District Hospital.
The Medical Superintendent of the Status B hospital, Dr. Shahadu Sayibu, said it is saddening and frustrating to see nurses sleeping in rooms that can best be described as �hencoops.�
According to him, inadequate accommodation is one of the main factors that discourage doctors from working in the war-torn area.
�The government is reluctant about putting up bungalows to attract critical staff to Gushegu,� Dr. Sayibu told the DAILY HERITAGE in an interview.
He said the situation has forced them to rely on the district assemblies who have not been forthcoming with assisting the hospital.
�They always tell you their common funds have not been released by the government; hence, they cannot help you out.�
He lamented that the internally generated funds the hospital makes are inadequate to cater for the accommodation of staff, and, it is used to cater for basic logistics.
The medical supt. asserted that most of the health workers have been compelled to use their own monies to rent facilities in the town.
�One nurse came to me and described her accommodation as a hencoop and upon inspection; I cannot help to admit that, that was what it looked like.�
He said the doctor-to-population ratio at Gushegu is one doctor is to 200 people making it worse off for him.
According to him, they have made efforts to train house officers but, it is inadequate since three house officers each handle 66,000 patients.
He blamed the plight of the hospital on the lack of political will on the part of policy makers to motivate doctors to accept postings to the place.
�Ghana Medical and Dental Council has made some proposals to that medics who accept postings to the peripheral would be motivated, but, nobody has paid attention to their calls,� he added.
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