Read also:
- TUSAAG Declares Indefinite Strike Over 17-Month Unpaid Research Allowance
- Vice President Commissions 265 New Prison Officers, Pledges Support for Service
- Afenyo-Markin Blasts Govt’s Road Budget, Demands Payment to Contractors
- Doctors Given One-Week Deadline to Report to Duty
- Ghana not included in US green card review – Ablakwa
Els MBN360
A severe healthcare crisis is unfolding in Ghana’s Upper West Region, where 25 out of 32 doctors allocated to the region for the 2025/2026 service period have refused their postings, leaving a huge gap in the medical workforce. This refusal rate of over 78% has intensified the existing pressure on the region’s limited healthcare personnel, with only 55 active medical doctors serving a population of nearly one million people ¹.
The regional health administration has confirmed that the situation is dire, with Dr. Joshephat Nuzagl, the Upper West Regional Director of Health Services, expressing deep worry over the refusal. He warned that the immediate shortfall will have a “huge negative impact” on the quality of healthcare available to the region’s nearly one million inhabitants.
The Upper West Region has long struggled with a shortage of medical doctors, with factors such as lack of adequate infrastructure, professional isolation, and limited opportunities for continuous professional development contributing to the problem. The region’s doctor-to-patient ratio is currently 1:14,310, far exceeding the World Health Organization’s recommended standard for effective primary care.
The regional health directorate is urging the non-reporting doctors to reconsider, emphasizing the need for quality healthcare delivery in the region.
Dr. Joshephat Nuzagl stated that they are still pursuing and pleading with doctors to accept the posting to the region to aid in quality health care delivery in the region.
The refusal of doctors to accept postings to regions like the Upper West is a recurring challenge in Ghana’s public health sector. Factors commonly cited by health professionals include:
- Lack of Adequate Infrastructure: Limited access to high-quality housing, reliable utilities, and specialised medical equipment compared to urban centres.
- Professional Isolation: Fewer opportunities for continuous professional development and collaboration with specialist colleagues.
- Family and Social Concerns: The perceived lack of high-quality schooling and social amenities for families in remote areas.
The regional health directorate’s appeal underscores the government’s continued struggle to ensure equitable distribution of medical personnel across all regions, particularly in the northern part of Ghana, where healthcare infrastructure remains underdeveloped.
