The Tamale Teaching Hospital spends close to GH¢100,000 every month to purchase 100 cylinders of oxygen from Kumasi due to the inability of the hospital's oxygen centre to produce gas for patients.
The acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr David Kolbilla disclosed this when the parliamentary select committee on health paid a working visit to the Northern Region last Monday.
The visit was to interact with various health managers to assess challenges confronting health facilities in the region and also to help find best solutions to ensure quality healthcare.
The situation according to Dr Kolbilla had a toll on the hospital’s Internally Generated Funds (IGF) in the previous year.
Doctors refusing postings to the region
The Northern Regional Health Director, Dr Jacob Mahama on his part expressed worry over the lack of interest by doctors to accept postings to the Northern Region.
According to him, the situation was affecting health delivery at the various health facilities in the region.
He added that another challenge facing the health sector in the region was the lack of incentives to motivate doctors to stay in rural areas.
This, he said also affected quality health delivery in hospitals that served the region as well as some neighbouring countries.
Districts without health facilities
Dr Mahama noted that the region had eight districts without health facilities, hampering the health needs of the inhabitants in those areas.
He stressed that maternal health was a big problem in the region due to the lack of logistics for health personnel to work with.
The Northern Region is one of the biggest regions in the country but when logistics, staff and resources are shared, only few get to the region, he stated.
Committee’s response
The Chairman of the parliamentary select committee and the Member of Parliament (MP) for Berekum East, Dr Kwabena Twum-Nuamah stated that the responses gathered from the health facilities would be included in their report and recommendations would be made to Parliament for further action.
The Northern Regional Minister, Mr Salifu Saeed earlier during a courtesy call on him by the committee suggested that the health committee should meet with development partners in health to synchronise activities to avoid duplications.
He also appealed for infrastructural development at the TTH that would provide treatment for some tropical diseases. This, according to him, would bring patients from the Sahelian countries to attract more revenue.
Some of the places visited by the committee included the Tamale Central Hospital and the Savelugu and Walewale district hospitals.
Source: Daily Graphic
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