A medical doctor who recently received a GH¢20,000 cash reward from the Paga Youth Movement (PAYOM) for accepting a posting to the Paga Hospital has donated the entire amount to purchase medical equipment and supplies for the facility.

The gesture comes barely a week after the youth group honoured Dr Ama Antwiwaa Adu-Appiah for choosing to serve at the Paga Hospital at a time many doctors continue to decline postings to the Upper East Region, particularly to rural and border districts.

Instead of using the cash for her personal needs, Dr Adu-Appiah invested the entire GH¢20,000 in procuring essential medical equipment and consumables to strengthen healthcare delivery at the hospital.

The items included three nebulisers, two blood pressure monitoring machines, one fetal Doppler machine, one vein finder, one haemoglobin analyser, five drip stands, five ward screens, one baby weighing scale, perfuser lines, two Veronica buckets, two handwashing basins, six rolls of cotton wool and four packs of bottled water.

Presenting the items to the hospital, Dr Adu-Appiah said the donation reflected her commitment to improving healthcare delivery for the people of Paga and neighbouring communities.

"Words would fail me to express how grateful I am to the Paga Youth Movement for the gift they gave me. I received it wholeheartedly. I have used the amount to purchase these medical items and equipment to make my working conditions more comfortable, not just for me, but for the entire medical team," she said.

She said the equipment would significantly improve the quality and efficiency of healthcare services at the facility.

Dr Adu-Appiah also expressed appreciation to her colleagues, Dr Didier Oteng and Dr John Aberba, for their dedication to the hospital, and commended the nursing staff for assisting her to procure the equipment within a short period.

She urged the hospital staff to maintain the equipment to ensure it served patients for many years.

The medical officer further described the Paga Youth Movement as a dependable partner committed to supporting healthcare delivery in the community.

Receiving the equipment on behalf of the hospital, the Nurse Manager,  Zita Abdulaih, expressed appreciation to Dr Adu-Appiah for putting the welfare of patients ahead of her personal interests.

"On behalf of the Medical Superintendent, Dr Oteng, management, nurses, midwives and the entire staff of Paga Hospital, we are filled with joy to receive these wonderful gifts. Out of the many things you could have done with the money, you thought of us. We are very grateful," she said.

She assured the doctor that the equipment would be properly maintained and put to good use to improve healthcare services.

"We pledge to take good care of these items, maintain them and use them to deliver quality healthcare to the people of Paga," she added.

The presentation was witnessed by the Organizer of the Paga Youth Movement, Raphael Pariyewe Kupanamo, and other members of staff of the hospital.

On July 16, 2026, the Paga Youth Movement presented Dr Adu-Appiah with GH¢20,000 in recognition of her decision to accept a posting to the Paga Hospital, where access to medical doctors has long been a challenge.

The youth group also pledged an additional GH¢10,000 towards the rehabilitation and furnishing of the hospital's consulting room to improve the working environment for health professionals.

The recognition was in response to the persistent difficulty the Upper East Region faces in attracting and retaining medical doctors, particularly in rural and border districts.

In 2021, none of the 10 doctors posted to the region reported for duty. In 2022, only five doctors assumed duty, while in 2025, only five out of the 26 doctors posted to the region reported, with most opting to work at the Upper East Regional Hospital instead of accepting postings to district health facilities.

Against this backdrop, both the Paga Youth Movement's decision to reward a doctor for accepting a rural posting and Dr Adu-Appiah's choice to channel the entire cash reward into purchasing equipment for the hospital have been hailed as remarkable examples of community partnership and dedication to improving healthcare delivery in underserved communities.