REDUCING DOCTOR-PATIENT RATIO (JUNE 20, 2009)

THE country’s doctor-patient ratio is far below the standard set by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Statistics indicate that the doctor-patient ratio in Ghana is 1:13,000, a figure far below the WHO global standard pegged at 1:5,000.
The situation in the country has been worsened by the exodus of health professionals, particularly doctors, to seek greener pastures in more developed economies.
Every government has been concerned about the health of the people, for which reason various policies have been put in place to improve the health status of the people.
Apart from the premier medical school of the University of Ghana, the country can now boast four public medical schools and other health training institutions throughout the country. The private sector has also invested in the training of health professionals.
These initiatives all go to buttress the commitment of the government to promote better access to health care. After all,, it is said that “a sound mind lives in a healthy body” and, therefore, the state has a duty to seek better health care for the people so that they can contribute more to productivity.
Besides education, the health bill of any country is very high, even in countries where a health insurance scheme is in operation, and Ghana is no exception.
It is, therefore, worrying that over the last three years no medical doctor has accepted posting to the Upper East Region, while the handful of doctors and other health providers there are seeking transfer to other parts of the country.
The challenge is not peculiar to the Upper East Region, as the Upper West and Northern regions are confronted with a similar challenge.
According to figures released in 2008 by Dr J. Koku Awoonor-Williams, the Upper East Regional Director of Health Services, the Upper East Region had a doctor-patient ratio of 1:29,000, the Upper West 1:44,000 and the Northern Region 1:93,000.
Health workers and other public sector employees are unwilling to accept posting to certain parts of the country, particularly areas considered to be deprived. Consequently, we have classrooms without teachers and hospitals without health professionals dotted in certain parts of the country. This challenge deprives certain parts of the country of their fair share of the national cake. Meanwhile, there are scores of public servants in urban areas contributing very little to the national economy.
To attract public servants, particularly health workers and teachers, to deprived areas, the government has always introduced some incentive packages for workers who accept postings to such areas.
Unfortunately, this policy has done very little to attract teachers and health professionals to deprived areas of the country. Perhaps the time has come to take another look at the policy if it has failed to make the desired impact.
The DAILY GRAPHIC calls on the government to commit more resources to improve conditions in the rural areas. The road network, schools, potable water sources, electricity, as well as recreational facilities, must be improved in such areas so that a transfer does not appear to be a punishment.
The paper also calls on public servants to accept to serve our people in the remotest parts of the country as a sign of appreciation for the people of those areas for contributing tremendously to the creation of our national wealth.
It is about time professional bodies in the country helped to end the denial of basic services such as health and education to the people.