Central tongu: Health service delivery in the Central Tongu District continues to face major setbacks due to inadequate logistics and staffing, the District Health Directorate has disclosed. Mrs. Belinda Kafui Adjadeh, the District Public Health Nurse, in an interview, told the Ghana News Agency that the situation was affecting quality healthcare delivery across the 24 health facilities in the district, including 16 Community-based Health Planning Systems (CHPS) compounds under the five sub-districts.
According to Ghana News Agency, Mrs. Adjadeh noted that the lack of vehicles remained a major challenge to effective supervision. "Initially, we had three vehicles, but currently, only one is functional. This makes it extremely difficult to conduct quarterly supportive supervision, as we can only move one group at a time. Over-reliance on this vehicle risks grounding it, which will further cripple our operations," she said.
Ms. Adjadeh added that some health workers were compelled to rely on motorbikes to access remote communities, which often exposed them to physical strain and safety risks. She further revealed that many facilities lacked essential equipment such as nebulizers, oxygen concentrators, and inadequate beds. "Some health centres have only one or two beds, which forces patients to sit on chairs or lie on benches during emergencies," she lamented.
On staffing, she said attrition remained high, with many nurses either travelling abroad, pursuing further studies, or seeking reposting to other regions. "This has left some facilities with only one nurse or midwife, who has to move incessantly to and from the OPD, outreach, and delivery services, often without rest. The workload is affecting their mental health and overall performance," she stressed.
Mr. Albert Mensah Gbadago, the District Health Information Officer, highlighted additional challenges in serving island communities such as communities overbank. "Staff sometimes have to cross the river to provide healthcare, but without boats, they rely on commercial means, delaying referrals and worsening outcomes. This year alone, we have recorded eight stillbirths, largely due to late referrals," he said.
Both officials appealed to government and stakeholders, including Members of Parliament, the District Assembly, traditional authorities, and NGOs, to support the Directorate with vehicles, boats, medical equipment, and staff postings to enhance service delivery. They also urged political leaders to refrain from interfering in staff transfers, stressing that such actions deprived rural communities of critical healthcare.
Despite the challenges, Mr. Gbadago reassured residents of the district that health workers remained committed to their duties. "As professionals, we continue to improvise and sacrifice to save lives. We encourage our staff not to give up despite the difficulties, and we are grateful for their hard work in serving even the most deprived communities," he said.
