The Member of Parliament for Bolgatanga Central, Isaac Adongo, has secured residential accommodation for doctors posted to the Bolgatanga Municipality in a move aimed at addressing one of the longstanding challenges affecting healthcare delivery in the area.
The accommodation facility, which consists of two separate two-bedroom apartments, is expected to provide temporary housing for newly posted doctors while encouraging more medical professionals to accept postings to the municipality and the wider Upper East Region.
The initiative comes at a time when concerns continue to grow over the reluctance of some doctors and critical healthcare professionals to accept postings to the region due to inadequate accommodation, limited social amenities, and adjustment challenges associated with working in deprived areas.
Speaking during the handing over ceremony of the facility to the Bolgatanga Municipal Health Directorate, Mr. Adongo explained that the intervention was inspired by concerns raised by health authorities regarding the difficulties newly posted doctors face in securing decent accommodation upon arrival in the municipality.
According to him, the issue became more pressing after the Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, contacted him during his recent visit to the region over the plight of two doctors who had been posted to Bolgatanga but struggled to find suitable places to stay.
“And so when he called me, he appealed to me to see if I could support them. So we started looking around, and my ward chairman for this area found this suitable accommodation for us. So these two are ready for those two doctors,” Mr. Adongo stated.
The Bolgatanga Central MP noted that the facility is intended to serve as a transit residence for newly posted doctors to help them settle into their new environment before securing permanent accommodation.
“This is expected to be a transit quarters. It is not a permanent abode for them. When they serve for one or two years, we assist them to move out so that newly posted doctors can also benefit from the facility,” he explained.
Mr. Adongo further disclosed that discussions are underway to expand the initiative by acquiring additional apartments in the area, with the long-term vision of establishing a dedicated accommodation enclave for healthcare professionals in the municipality.
“The plan is to make this place more or less a doctors’ village. If we are able to secure the other apartments nearby, it will be very good for our doctors,” he added.
He acknowledged the difficulties associated with attracting doctors to the municipality, noting that many young medical professionals initially approach postings to the Upper East Region with fear and uncertainty.
“Already, where we are, we are disadvantaged enough. A lot of the doctors, when they are posted here, they actually cry until they arrive and realize that this is an exciting environment. We want to make their lives easier, especially for newly trained doctors who are transitioning into the world of work,” he said.
Mr. Adongo emphasized that while the current arrangement serves as an immediate intervention, the broader objective is to collaborate with the Municipal Assembly and government to construct permanent accommodation facilities for doctors and other healthcare workers in the future.
Receiving the facility on behalf of the Bolgatanga Municipal Health Directorate, the Acting Municipal Director of Health Services, Simon Effah Adjei, described the gesture as timely, thoughtful, and highly significant to healthcare delivery in the municipality.
He indicated that the government had commenced the recruitment of critical healthcare personnel, including doctors, and stressed that access to decent accommodation would play a major role in attracting and retaining professionals within the municipality.
“As you are aware, the government has started recruiting critical health staff, and we believe doctors will be part of the list. Once we have temporary residence for them, it will facilitate their willingness to stay and provide the needed healthcare services,” Mr. Adjei stated.
He expressed appreciation to the Member of Parliament for his continued support to the health sector and assured that the facility would be utilized strictly for its intended purpose.
The accommodation initiative is expected to significantly improve staff retention, strengthen healthcare delivery, and enhance access to quality medical services for residents within the Bolgatanga Municipality.
Source: BlueWavesonline.com| Maurice Duncan | Bolgatanga
