The Upper East Region is grappling with a worsening nurse shortage as 13 nurses vacated their posts, 96 were transferred out of the region, and three resigned in 2024, according to Dr. Samuel Kwabena Boakye-Boateng, the Regional Director of the Ghana Health Service (GHS).
The exodus of nurses has raised concerns about staffing gaps in healthcare facilities across the region, especially as the nurse-population geographical equity index declined from 0.40 in 2023 to 0.39 in 2024, falling short of the 0.55 target.
Despite these staffing challenges, there was a notable increase in the number of doctors, improving the doctor-to-population ratio from 1:18,979 in 2023 to 1:17,833 in 2024.
Dr. Boakye-Boateng, who is set to assume a new role as Director of Policy, Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation Division (PPMED) at the GHS Headquarters, disclosed these figures during the 2024 Annual Performance Review Meeting in Bolgatanga.
The meeting, themed “Using Network of Practice (NoP) to Drive Universal Access to Quality Maternal Health Care,” brought together health professionals, policymakers, development partners, traditional leaders, and the media to assess the region’s health performance and plan for improvements.
Despite workforce shortages, the region achieved key health milestones, including a zero malaria death rate across all age groups, even though malaria remained the leading cause of Out-Patient Department (OPD) visits.
The proportion of deliveries supervised by trained health professionals surpassed the regional target of 65%, recording 78.4% in 2023 and 73.1% in 2024.
Similarly, antenatal care coverage improved, with 88.4% of pregnant women making at least four visits in 2024, up from 85.3% in 2023, exceeding the 85% target.
Outgoing Regional Director Dr. Boakye-Boateng urged health professionals to embrace evidence-based malaria interventions, such as Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC), to sustain the zero malaria death rate and work toward the complete elimination of malaria in Ghana.
Upper East Regional Minister, Donatus Akamugri Atanga, commended the GHS for significant progress in maternal and child health but acknowledged the pressing need for policy interventions to address nurse shortages and health workforce retention in the region.
“Your dedication to improving health outcomes is commendable, but much more needs to be done. We must address staffing gaps to ensure quality healthcare delivery across the region,” he stated in a speech read on his behalf.
As the region faces increasing healthcare demands, stakeholders are calling for urgent recruitment and retention strategies to fill critical staffing shortages and ensure sustained healthcare delivery in the Upper East Region.
