The Coalition of NGOs in Health has called on the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department to immediately withhold the salaries of medical officers who have refused to report to their officially assigned posts in the Upper East Region, describing the situation as gross misconduct that undermines the country’s health system.

In a strongly worded statement signed by the Regional Secretary, Mr. Patrick Anamoo, and the Regional Vice Chairman, Mr. Thomas Abagmbire Aduah, the Coalition expressed deep concern over the persistent refusal of newly posted medical officers to take up duty in the Region. 

According to the statement, as of January 2026, only five out of the 26 medical officers posted to the Upper East Region have reported and assumed duty, leaving more than 20 officers absent despite repeated calls and reminders from the authorities.

The Coalition urged the government to introduce stricter accountability measures to address what it described as a long-standing operational challenge in the public health sector.

Specifically, it called on the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department to ensure that salaries are not processed for public officers whose inputs are not submitted from their officially assigned regions. 

“The Coalition believes this measure, if fully implemented, will significantly address long-standing operational challenges and improve accountability,” the statement noted.

Beyond the issue of postings, the Coalition also raised concerns about health-seeking behaviour among the general public in the Region.

It warned that delayed reporting to health facilities and the widespread practice of home nursing for conditions that require professional medical care pose serious risks to public health. 

The statement cited evidence suggesting that such practices have contributed to adverse outcomes, including the recent rise in maternal mortality in the Upper East Region.

The Coalition therefore encouraged residents to seek timely care at appropriate health facilities to prevent avoidable complications and deaths.

The call comes against the backdrop of severe health worker shortages in the Region.

With a population of 1,301,226 according to the 2021 Population and Housing Census, the Upper East Region continues to struggle with alarming health worker–to–population ratios. 

As of 2022, the doctor-to-population ratio stood at approximately 1:24,124, far below the World Health Organisation’s recommended ratio of 1:1,000.

The Coalition stressed that beyond the numerical shortage, the inequitable distribution of doctors—particularly the preference of newly trained medical officers for regional and urban hospitals—remains a major challenge to equitable healthcare delivery.

Despite these difficulties, the Coalition commended the Upper East Regional Director of Health Services and his management team for what it described as proactive and committed leadership in managing the Region’s health sector under challenging circumstances.

The statement also sought to reassure newly posted doctors and other public sector workers that the Upper East Region is safe, peaceful, welcoming, and conducive for both work and life. 

The Coalition, therefore, called for unity and collective responsibility, urging the people of the Upper East Region to embrace peace, development, and progress as key pillars for improving health outcomes and overall well-being.