The Upper West Regional Health Administration has reported that about 80% of doctors allocated to the region for the 2025/2026 service period did not report to duty.

The administration said 25 out of the 32 doctors allocated to the region not accepting to the posting have left a huge gap in the medical workforce.

Dr Josephat Nyuzaghl, the Upper West Regional Director of Health Services, bemoaned the development, forecasting it would have a “huge negative impact” on the quality of healthcare available to a region with nearly one million residents.

JoyNews reports that there are only 55 active medical doctors in the region, meaning each has to attend to a staggering 18,181 patients.

The hope was the arrival of new doctors would improve the situation. 

Dr Nyuzaghl said the regional health directorate was actively involved in pleading with and pursuing newly posted doctors to come and help serve the region.

Read: UW/R: Health Minister Akandoh gives newly posted doctors one more week to report to work