At the 2025 Annual Performance Review in Ho, the Volta Regional Health Directorate issued a definitive mandate: Ghana's transition to a 24-hour economy in healthcare cannot be built on bricks and mortar alone.
Dr. Alphonse Makafui Dzakpasu, acting Deputy Director of Clinical Care, delivered a stirring presentation titled "Providing Round-the-Clock Quality-Focused Free Primary Health Care and Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) Control: The Role of the Health Workforce." His message was clear: a 24-hour system is only as strong as the "heartbeat" of its workforce.
1. The "Proactive" vs. "Reactive" Shift
The 2025 review marks a strategic pivot for the region. The goal is to move away from hospital-based "reactive" care (treating complications) toward a proactive model centered on Free Primary Healthcare (PHC) and early NCD detection.
The Strategy Reset:
-
Detection & Treatment: Empowering frontline workers to identify hypertension and diabetes before they become terminal.
-
Education: Reorienting staff to act as community health educators rather than just clinical technicians.
-
Access at the Right Time: Dr. Dzakpasu noted that the challenge isn't just access to care, but access to quality care by the right people at 2:00 AM as effectively as at 2:00 PM.
2. Addressing the "Workforce Gap"
The Directorate acknowledged that a 24-hour mandate places immense pressure on human resources. Managers were urged to address five critical systemic vulnerabilities:
| Challenge | Impact on Service Delivery |
| Burnout & Fatigue | Leads to medical errors and reduced empathy. |
| Motivation Systems | Inadequate rewards lead to "pretend care" and staff-patient friction. |
| Supervision Gaps | Uneven quality of care across different districts. |
| Skill Distribution | Concentrating specialists in urban Ho while rural areas lack NCD expertise. |
| Welfare | Neglecting staff mental health directly correlates to poor patient outcomes. |
3. Leadership Perspectives: Excellence and Empathy
The review brought together the region's top medical and traditional leadership to align on the 2026 roadmap.
-
Prof. Fred Newton Binka (GHS Council Chairman): Highlighted that while PHC is expanding, recruitment and capacity building remain the primary hurdles. He warned that "demotivated staff" are the biggest threat to the new 24-hour policy.
-
Prof. Margaret Kweku (Regional Health Committee): Reminded the delegation that compassion and empathy are clinical tools. She shared a case where "flexible care" (allowing a grieving mother to attend a funeral) was as vital to recovery as medication.
-
Traditional Support: The presence of Togbe Gabusu VII underscored the importance of local authorities in supporting the "Networks of Practice" that will sustain these 24-hour clinics.
4. The "Five Questions" for 2026
Dr. Dzakpasu challenged health managers to reflect on these metrics as they begin the 2026 implementation cycle:
-
Are our services truly 24-hour systems or just daytime operations?
-
Is quality care consistent across all facilities (urban vs. rural)?
-
Are we preventing diseases or just managing complications?
-
Do our systems guide decisions effectively?
-
Is our workforce actually empowered to perform?
The Bottom Line
The Volta Region’s 2025 review is a "Systems Reset." By standardizing quality and prioritizing workforce welfare, the Directorate is moving to ensure that "Free Primary Healthcare" is not just a policy slogan, but a reliable, round-the-clock reality for every citizen in the region.
