The Municipal Health Director for Berekum in the Brong Ahafo Region, Mr. Bidema Duut, has said having an efficient healthcare system requires the collective responsibility of health workers, the government and the general public. He said this after some participants at a Town Hall Meeting held in Berekum on Tuesday descended heavily on some nurses and other health professionals in the area describing them as incompetent, for putting their lives in danger when they turn up at their facilities for medical care. The forum, organized by the Ministry of Information in collaboration with the Information Services Department (ISD), afforded the participants an opportunity to demand for accountability from the assembly.A visibly charged resident, Maame Yaa Pokua, who led the accusations against the health professionals at an open forum narrated how the family lost a sister through the negligence of the nurses at all the facilities they visited in the municipality.
“We took my sister to the hospital and she was left unattended to. Later we were asked to take to her another facility and the cycle continued until we got to Sampa clinic by which time she had given up the ghost. So for me, I know the incompetent nurses who don’t pass their papers and are brought here to kill us. So I want to know the measures put in place by authorities to save us,” she asked.Her narration provoked more responses and testimonies from the participants compelling the District Information Officer, who was the master of ceremony (MC), to step in to restore calm to enable authorities to respond. The Municipal Health Director, Mr. Bidema Duut, in response to the queries said efficient and effective healthcare delivery was a collective responsibility by all, and therefore called on all stakeholders to contribute their quota in ensuring the health needs of residents was provided in a professional manner.
“When you visit a health facility and you complain about the attitudes of the nurses, don’t think it is only the responsibility of the health worker. How the child was trained at home, school and workplace, so when a child refuses to learn and cheat at examination and ends up as a nurse then there’s a problem. So I’m saying to mould a very good nurse, it’s a collective responsibility of everybody and nobody should just sit down and blame others for problems created by our ourselves. Those problems and attitudes are not attitudes of the profession but attitudes of the community”, he opined.
He therefore appealed to the assembly and community members to collaborate with his outfit in addressing challenges such as inadequate infrastructure, inadequate staffing and poor road network which hinder healthcare delivery in the area.The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Hon. Kofi Adjei said the assembly identified health as the priority, and was investing in the construction and expansion of infrastructure of some of health institutions in district. He mentioned the commissioning of CHPS compounds, nurses quarters and provision of water facilities at Oforikrom, Berekum, Nsapor, Amankwokwaa and Kyereyawkrom as his administration is committed to providing efficient healthcare services to residents. He therefore called for support from the chiefs, community members and development partners for sustained development of the district. The Regional Information Officer, Imoro Ayibani, said the programme is to afford residents the opportunity to ask questions and seek clarification on issues they’re concerned about as a way of promoting local governance at the grassroots, and encouraged them to freely share their views on national issues.
SOURCE:CITINEWSROOM