Amid a worsening shortage of medical personnel in Ghana’s Upper East Region, the Member of Parliament for Garu, Thomas Anaba, is calling for a fundamental change in how health workers are compensated.
He is proposing the introduction of differential pay for professionals posted to deprived and underserved regions, arguing that uniform salaries across the country fail to reflect the disparities in living and working conditions between urban and rural areas.
In an interview with Asaase News, Anaba described the staffing crisis in the health sector as “very concerning,” especially in remote areas. “The farther you go from the capital, the worse the doctor-to-patient ratio becomes,” he said, adding that the Upper East is among the hardest hit.
He pointed out that in districts like Bolgatanga, Bongo and Talensi, doctors often face overwhelming workloads, limited access to basic amenities, and fewer educational opportunities for their children—all while receiving the same salaries as counterparts in cities like Accra or Tamale.
“If a hospital is supposed to have five gynaecologists and there’s only one, that doctor carries the entire burden,” he explained. “Yet they earn the same as someone working in an urban centre with five or more colleagues.”
To address the imbalance, Anaba suggests that doctors who accept postings in deprived areas should either receive higher salaries or a portion of the funds allocated for unfilled positions. For instance, if a hospital is funded for five specialists but only has two, the salaries intended for the absent three could be redistributed to those on the ground.
“This model has been used in countries like South Korea to attract doctors to remote regions,” he said. “It’s a practical and cost-effective way to retain talent where it’s most needed.”
Beyond financial incentives, Anaba advocates for broader support packages, including educational sponsorships for the children of health workers stationed in rural areas.
“What’s wrong with saying any specialist who agrees to work in Bongo-Talensi should have their child’s education supported?” he asked. “The cost is minimal compared to what the state loses when patients have to travel long distances for treatment.”
He also criticised successive governments for neglecting northern regional hospitals, leaving them under-resourced and unattractive to health professionals.
“This is not just a Bolgatanga problem,” he said. “It’s even more severe in the Upper East, and unless we implement innovative solutions, lives will continue to be lost simply because no health professionals are available.”
Report by Mark Smith for Asaase News in the Upper East Region
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