Upper East Region Worst Hit by Nurses’ Strike – Regional Minister

The Upper East Regional Minister, Hon. Akamugri Donatus Atanga, has revealed that the region has been disproportionately affected by the ongoing strike action by members of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA), citing the region’s limited healthcare infrastructure and lack of private sector support.

Hon. Atanga made these remarks during a working visit to the Upper East Regional Hospital on Thursday. The visit allowed the Minister to assess first-hand the impact of the nationwide strike and to engage with the hospital’s management on broader challenges affecting healthcare delivery in the region.

According to the Minister, the Upper East Region is particularly vulnerable to disruptions in public healthcare services due to its overreliance on government-run facilities and the near absence of private health institutions.

“We are worst hit because we do not have many of the private sector players in this sector,” he stated. “If we were to have many of such private sector players, at least it would be minimal because people would have the alternative. If the central government one is not working, I would go to the other area. But they are countable and it is even in the regional capital you are talking about.”

Hon. Atanga added that most districts and municipalities in the region do not have viable private hospital options. This, he said, has discouraged healthcare investors from venturing into the region, largely due to concerns about staffing challenges.

He stressed that one way to break this cycle and bolster healthcare capacity is by establishing a medical school in the region.

“So if we are able to put up this medical school, it will address this myriad of issues that we faced,” he said. “This alone points to the fact the medical school is an answer to our problems.”

Earlier in his visit, the Minister held a meeting with the hospital’s management, where he was briefed on the facility’s operational status, expansion efforts, and ongoing challenges. He emphasized the role of the Upper East Regional Hospital as the “nerve center” of the region’s healthcare system and a critical asset for economic growth.

“So it behoves on us as policy makers to provide good medical services to the people because it will lead to the explosion of the economy,” he noted. “When it leads to the explosion of the economy, it will lead to the creation of the economy.”

Hon. Atanga also expressed concern over a growing trend of declining empathy among some health professionals, stating that the healthcare profession is increasingly being viewed as just another employment opportunity rather than a calling to serve.

He called on hospital leadership to take steps to improve patient care and address public complaints, noting that he had received several troubling reports from patients about poor treatment at the facility.

While acknowledging that this issue spans multiple sectors, the Minister stressed that it is particularly concerning in the health sector, where compassion and dedication are essential.