The Evangelical Church of Ghana (ECG) Hospital at Dambai is seeking government support to reduce its growing wage burden, with more than half of its workforce currently being paid from internally generated funds (IGF).
The Medical Superintendent of the hospital, Dr Sonlaar Joseph, said the arrangement was placing significant financial pressure on the facility and limiting the resources available for other critical healthcare needs.
He therefore appealed to the Oti Regional Directorate of Health Services (RDHS) to second qualified health professionals from the Ghana Health Service (GHS) to the hospital to strengthen its workforce.
Dr Sonlaar made the appeal during the official inauguration of the hospital at the Israel community in Dambai.
He said apart from a few staff seconded from the Evangelical Church of Ghana, Kpandai, who serve as government employees, more than 50 per cent of the hospital’s workforce was currently financed through IGF.
The IGF-funded workers, he said, were providing essential services across departments including the dispensary, accounts, laboratory and wards.
According to Dr Sonlaar, most of the health professionals engaged under the IGF arrangement were qualified personnel awaiting government clearance and posting.
He said the situation required management to continually mobilise additional funds to maintain adequate staffing levels and ensure that essential services were not disrupted.
Dr Sonlaar appealed to the RDHS, through the Municipal Directorate of Health Services (MDHS), to consider seconding GHS personnel to the hospital to ease the staffing pressure.
He also called on the Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG) to create special placement opportunities for some of the IGF-funded workers so they could be absorbed under a more sustainable arrangement.
He said reducing the hospital’s wage burden would allow management to redirect scarce resources towards infrastructure, medical equipment and other essential healthcare services.
Dr Sonlaar said strengthening the hospital’s human resource base was necessary to enable it to provide efficient services to residents of Dambai and surrounding communities.
He noted that a well-staffed facility would also reduce the need for residents to travel long distances to access both basic and specialised healthcare.
The Medical Superintendent expressed confidence that closer collaboration among the GHS, CHAG and ECG would help address the staffing challenges and strengthen the hospital’s ability to fulfil its healthcare mandate.
The Oti Regional Director of Health Services, Dr Kofi Amo-Kodieh, welcomed the establishment of the ECG hospital, describing it as a valuable addition to healthcare delivery in the region.
He commended the ECG for investing in healthcare infrastructure and assured the facility of the Directorate’s willingness to collaborate with management to improve healthcare delivery.
Dr Amo-Kodieh, however, urged the hospital to maintain accurate and comprehensive operational records and work closely with the Municipal Health Directorate.
He said effective data management and coordination would support the preparation of comprehensive reports for submission to the Regional Health Directorate, the GHS and the Ministry of Health.
He also encouraged the hospital to consider participating in the government’s Free Primary Healthcare programme in the region.
According to him, the facility’s participation would complement government efforts and help expand access to quality and affordable primary healthcare for residents of Dambai and neighbouring communities.
