Social commentator Stanley Abopam has criticized proposals to designate both the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital and the War Memorial Hospital in Navrongo as teaching hospitals, arguing that the Upper East Region lacks the health infrastructure required to support such a move.
Speaking on Dreamz FM’s News Digest, Mr Abopam said teaching hospitals represent the highest level of healthcare delivery and require extensive investments in infrastructure, equipment and specialist personnel.
According to him, the region has not yet attained the level of healthcare development necessary for two teaching hospitals, noting that the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital itself functions largely as a referral center rather than a fully developed regional hospital.
“We must get serious,” he said. “Teaching hospitals are specialist hospitals. These are facilities with medical consultants and advanced services. We do not even have enough of these specialists in the region.”
Mr Abopam explained that Ghana’s healthcare system is structured to move patients from Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compounds to health centers, district hospitals, regional hospitals and finally teaching hospitals.
He argued that many facilities in the region still struggle with primary and secondary healthcare delivery, making discussions about multiple teaching hospitals premature.
The commentator questioned why the Upper East Region should seek two teaching hospitals when larger regions with stronger health systems operate with a single teaching hospital.
He cited examples such as the Ashanti Region and Central Region, which host major universities and medical schools but rely on one principal teaching hospital.
Mr Abopam further warned that political considerations should not override healthcare planning, stressing that decisions about teaching hospitals must be guided by technical and medical requirements rather than attempts to satisfy competing local interests.
He called on government and regional stakeholders to focus resources on developing one high-quality teaching hospital capable of serving the entire region.
