Health Infrastructure

The district is served by a district hospital located at Sandema, the district capital and four health centres sited at Chuchuliga, Fumbisi, Gbedema-Kanjarga and Doninga. There are two clinics which are run by CHAG; one run by the Catholic mission of Bolgatanga-Navrongo diocese at Wiaga and the other run by the Presbyterian Primary Health Care at Siniensi.

The district has also embraced the Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) concept of the Ghana Health Service which is an attempt to remove geographical barriers and move services close to clients. As such, there eleven (11) CHPS zones which are currently functional in the district, whiles three (3) others are at various stages of completion. Also, there are two supplementary feeding centres which are responsible for boosting the nutritional needs of children in the communities they operate.

Personnel

The district is not insulated from the nationwide inadequacy of medical personnel. Currently, there is one medical doctor in the district stationed at the Sandema Hospital; 15 practicing mid wives, 24 Community health nurses (8 on course), 11 community health officers and 4 public health nurses. This trend depicts the precarious inadequate staffing situation nationwide. Nonetheless, the available health personnel ensure that health delivery is generally satisfactory in the district.

 REGISTER FOR DMHIS

The Builsa Mutual health Insurance Scheme (DMHIS) as at the end of 2006 had registered 23,730 people.  The manager of the Scheme, Mr. James Abakisi, made this known during a visit to Buterisa as part of an outreach programme to encourage community members to register with the scheme.

He mentioned poverty and ignorance as the major bottlenecks the scheme managers have had to grapple with.  Mr. Abakisi said some people are still skeptical about the National Health Insurance Scheme with others playing politics with it.  He therefore took the opportunity to debunk that notion, encourage the people to register and fully pay their premium to be able to access quality health care.

The public Relation Officer of the Scheme, Mr. Sampson Kofi Adisi, said the outreach programme which began about three weeks is facing a lot of problems due to the wide coverage area of the district.  Most of the people, he said are not registering with the scheme because of financial difficulties.