- The Medical Superintendent of Elubo Government Hospital worried about the ongoing refusal of nurses to accept postings to his facility
- Western Regional Minister Joseph Nelson calls for a renewed focus on patient care and suggests establishing an office dedicated to protecting patient interests
- ·Joseph Nelson’s frustration reflects broader concerns about workforce management in the health sector
Zachariah Musah, the Medical Superintendent of Elubo Government Hospital, is increasingly worried about the ongoing refusal of nurses to accept postings at his facility.
Source: Facebook
This situation, coupled with a severe lack of accommodation, is making it difficult to provide the quality healthcare the community desperately needs.
Since its opening in 2023, the hospital, equipped with 65 beds and modern technology, was meant to be a lifeline for the Jomoro municipality. Yet today, its quiet corridors tell a different story.
The hospital does not lack patients but is struggling with a significant shortage of staff. Although it has the capacity for 120 personnel, only 45 nurses are currently on duty, creating a huge gap between what the hospital could offer and what it can provide.
In a recent meeting with Western Regional Joseph Nelson, Musah highlighted two major challenges: the reluctance of nurses to accept postings and the critical shortage of housing for staff.
This shortage means that some hospital facilities remain closed, further limiting care options for the community.
“We recently opened the theatre, and most of the functional units have state-of-the-art machines, but they remain closed because we do not have trained personnel to operate them,” Musah said.
Joseph Nelson responded by urging hospital management to prioritize patient rights and questioned why nurses who refuse postings aren’t being removed from the system. He called for a renewed focus on patient care and suggested establishing an office dedicated to protecting patient interests.
“Let’s focus attention on the patient. We are pushing for the day when there will be an office dedicated to serving the patient. When a patient comes to the facility and is mistreated to the extent that some end in death, what happens? Who speaks for the family, and who listens to them? Patients’ interests are important. When a patient leaves here carrying certain pains, they have nowhere to ventilate them,” he added.
Nelson also raised concerns about nurses who refuse postings yet continue to receive salaries, questioning the rationale behind this practice.
He highlighted the issues of overstaffing in some facilities while others face staff shortages, urging accountability among those responsible for managing these discrepancies. His frustration reflects broader concerns about workforce management in the health sector.
“It beats my mind why anybody in the health sector, when transferred to a facility, says they are not going, yet they are maintained in the system and still receive salaries. We have overstaffing in some facilities and shortages in others. Those who are supposed to take responsibility for this are not doing anything about it. I can never be convinced about this,” the regional minister said.
As the government works on long-term solutions for the staffing issues, this multi-million-cedi investment must become a functioning healthcare hub. The community of Elubo is counting on it, and the need for action is more urgent than ever.
Photo credit: Hon Thomas Ampem Nyarko – MP/Facebook.
Source: Facebook
Gov’t needs GH¢2bn for nurses’ demands
YEN.com.gh reported that Deputy Finance Minister Thomas Nyarko Ampem disclosed the government’s inability to meet the demands of striking nurses and midwives this year.
Speaking at a press briefing on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Asuogyama stated that the full implementation of nurses’ demands would add GH¢2 billion to the country’s budgeted expenditure.
Source: YEN.com.gh
Source: Yen.com.gh
