As part of its national oversight mandate, the Parliamentary Committee on Health, led by the Chairman Hon. Mark Kurt Nawaane, MP for Nabdam, embarked on a working visit to the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital and the Baptist Medical Centre in Nalerigu to assess the state of healthcare delivery in the Upper East and North East Regions.
The tour began at the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital, where the committee was welcomed by the hospital’s Medical Director, Dr. Aidan Saanwie. The committee toured various departments, observing operations firsthand and engaging with hospital management on key challenges confronting the facility.
The Nabdom legislature highlighted critical staffing shortages as the foremost concern facing the regional hospital. “The problem of staffing is number one. The government needs to seriously reconsider the issue of financial clearance for recruitment, especially in remote areas like Bolgatanga,” he said.
In addition to personnel gaps, the chairman also raised concerns about low internally generated funds (IGF), encouraging hospital leadership to improve revenue retention through better financial oversight.
Deputy ranking of the select committee on health Patrick Boakye-Yiadom MP for Obuasi East, echoed these concerns, particularly citing the low retention of newly posted nurses due to inadequate motivation and support systems.
Dr. Saanwie confirmed the challenge, adding that while the hospital possesses modern medical equipment, it lacks the skilled professionals to operate them effectively. He also emphasized the urgent need for staff accommodation and rehabilitation of neglected infrastructure, including the maternity block and infectious chest ward.
Following the visit to Bolgatanga, the committee proceeded to the Baptist Medical Centre in Nalerigu, where they were once again met with both remarkable dedication and significant operational challenges.
Anthony Mwinkaara Sumah, MP for Nadowli-Kaleo, praised the staff for their resilience and impact despite working under extremely limited conditions. “You have so little, yet you do so much. You don’t need to be called a regional hospital to function like one; you are already operating as a de facto regional hospital, and that is commendable,” he said.
The committee was particularly concerned about the human resource crisis at the facility, which currently operates with only four doctors. “It’s unthinkable. A single doctor is sometimes responsible for over 70 inpatients in a day before even attending to outpatient duties,” Hon. Nawaane observed. He called for urgent intervention to boost staffing, especially in critical roles such as anesthetists, medical officers, and critical care nurses.
Kingsley Agyemang, MP for Abuakwa South, further commended the hospital’s charitable origins and mission-driven ethos, expressing personal commitment to support the facility in both formal and informal capacities. “Your dedication to serving the community with compassion and excellence deserves recognition and reinforcement”.
The committee pledged to advocate for both hospitals at the national level, pushing for enhanced recruitment, improved infrastructure, and stronger financial support to ensure quality healthcare delivery in these underserved regions.
The chairman concluded by saying, “Our role doesn’t end with this visit,” Hon. Nawaane assured. “We will take your concerns back to Parliament and work to influence the necessary policy and budgetary changes that will help you do even more for your communities.”
