Worried residents in Gushiegu and its environs can now breathe a sigh of relief; relative calm has finally returned to the district hospital. This, after a power struggle that pitted the facility’s two doctors against one another as to who should be the medical superintendent threatened healthcare delivery in the area.
The power struggle between the two doctors left many residents in and around Gushegu questioning the authority of regional health directorate.
Some angry residents who could not hide their feelings about the impasse were preparing to petition the regional minister and the ministry of health to instill discipline in the hospital.
But even before they could petition the government, cooler heads prevailed, at least for now, and the two “warring” doctors are said to have returned to work on Tuesday, sources told Zaa News.
However, tempers are still high and sharp divisions have appeared among the staff as the the issue as to who becomes the medical superintendent remains unresolved.
The embattled acting medical superintendent, Dr Sayibu whose letters were signed by the current deputy director general of Ghana Health Service, told Zaa News some people have ganged up against his efforts as a specialist to provide healthcare to the people in Gushiegu.
Dr Sayibu confirmed to Zaa News that he received some financial support from the Gushiegu district assembly which was granted by the then district coordinating director, Alhaji Rufai.
The assembly paid GH3,000 to Dr Sayibu at the Ghana Commercial Bank, Walewale branch to enable him undergo obstetrics and gynecology training at Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons in 2014.
The letter of commitment from the assembly contradicted the Gushegu DCE Mr Musah Issah’s claims that, he did not see any document in his handing over notes from the former DCE indicating that the assembly had sponsored a medical doctor for further studies.
“I am using my private vehicle now because the official vehicle has forcefully been given to Dr Barhama,” Dr Sayibu said.
Mr. Issah has not answered Zaa News calls nor returned our messages when we tried finding out his take on the issue. Dr Barhama has not also answered our calls for his side of the story.
Possible transfer of the two doctors
Deep rooted sources within the Ghana Health Service told Zaa News the two are likely to be transferred out of the district by the new northern regional director of the service who is yet take over from the outgoing director, Dr Jacob Mahama.
The sources said the two are not ready to compromise even though one is a specialist and his services are badly in a deprived district such as Gushegu.
Repercussions on the people
Getting a non-indigene surgeon to Gushegu will be a tough decision for the Ghana Health service. This is because southerners consider transfer to the north as punishment.
A pathologist who is a northerner once told this reporter that his colleagues from the south after completion of University of Development Studies Medical School in Tamale sued the Dental and Medical council for posting them to the north.
What makes the north a curse to many southern professionals is only known to them.