The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has disclosed a significant imbalance in the distribution of medical specialists, with almost 90% located in the Greater Accra and Ashanti Regions. Currently, five of the country’s 16 regions lack specialist dental surgeons.

Dr. Patrick Kuma Aboagye highlighted that this uneven distribution, along with a 50% shortage in human resources, poses a threat to equitable and quality healthcare across the nation.

"There are still challenges in the distribution of healthcare workers. 88% of all our medical specialists are concentrated in the Greater Accra and Ashanti Regions. Five out of the 16 regions have no specialist dental surgeons. As of December 2020, 57% of the public sector nursing workforce were non-professional nurses," he stated.

This issue is critical, as unsafe healthcare practices pose serious risks to developing countries. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 1 in 10 patients suffer harm in healthcare settings, leading to over 3 million deaths annually due to unsafe practices. In low-to-middle-income countries, unsafe care results in the deaths of 4 in 100 people.

In primary and ambulatory settings, up to 40% of patients are harmed, with 80% of these incidents being preventable. Common adverse events include medication errors, unsafe surgical procedures, healthcare-associated infections, diagnostic errors, patient falls, pressure ulcers, patient misidentification, unsafe blood transfusions, and venous thromboembolism.

Dr. Aboagye noted that Ghana faces issues such as hospital-acquired infections, unsafe surgeries, and incorrect medications.

He stressed the need for innovative measures to improve Universal Health Coverage (UHC), which was at 49% in 2021, to enhance the quality and safety of healthcare practices.

Peter Yeboah, Executive Director of the Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG), called for a shift from focusing solely on financing and increasing access to healthcare to prioritizing quality care and human resources.

He emphasized that equitable access to quality healthcare, delivered by skilled and dedicated workers, is crucial for public trust and achieving UHC. He added that sub-optimal care poses existential threats to the healthcare system.

"The lack of robust quality systems and structures means that we are failing to meet patient needs, health outcomes, and the trust and confidence of patients in the entire health system. The moment patients sense that quality is sub-optimal, it is a recipe for loss of interest, confidence, and underutilization of services," he stated.

These comments were made during the annual CHAG conference in Koforidua.

Dr. DaCosta Aboagye, Executive Director of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), noted that claims payments have recently been prompt.

He also announced new initiatives to focus NHIS on preventive healthcare by ensuring annual health screenings for subscribers on their birthdays.

Most Rev. Afrifa Agyekum, the Presiding Bishop of the Koforidua Diocese of the Catholic Church, urged the government to improve conditions of service for healthcare workers.

He also encouraged CHAG healthcare workers to uphold CHAG principles and avoid participating in strikes, as this undermines the mission of providing quality healthcare.

Source by www.ghanaweb.com