The Upper East Regional Director of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) Dr Braimah Baba Abubakari, has called on health professionals to strengthen client relations as a key strategy to improve healthcare delivery and restore public confidence in the service.

He underscored the critical role of effective communication, professionalism, and empathy in ensuring quality healthcare services across the region.

Dr Abubakari made the call during a virtual training session for selected Client Relations Officers (CROs) from healthcare facilities across the Upper East Region.

The training formed part of the GHS’s ongoing efforts to strengthen client relations and improve service delivery by addressing the growing number of client complaints, concerns, and reports of dissatisfaction in health facilities across the region.

The Regional Director noted that the GHS was mandated to provide comprehensive primary and secondary healthcare services to the population.

He observed that public perception of healthcare delivery was increasingly influenced by social media discussions and public commentary, making client satisfaction more important than ever.

Dr Abubakari said many healthcare facilities continued to receive negative feedback due to clients’ limited understanding of healthcare processes, delays caused by staff shortages, misinterpretation of medical procedures, and inadequate communication between healthcare providers and patients.

He insisted that health workers must consistently demonstrate professionalism, empathy, and courtesy in their interactions with clients to foster trust and improve service delivery.

Dr Abubakari explained that the appointment of CROs formed part of the Service’s efforts to enhance patient experience and protect the image of the institution.

He said the officers were expected to serve as a vital link between healthcare facilities and the public as they would address concerns, facilitate communication, and promote positive relationships.

The Regional Director encouraged the CROs to remain committed to their responsibilities and work diligently to improve client satisfaction while strengthening public confidence in the healthcare system.

He expressed optimism that the training would equip the officers with the knowledge and skills needed to effectively manage client concerns and contribute to improved healthcare delivery across the region.

Dr Edmund Nellic Nyanwura, the Kassena-Nankana Municipal Director of the GHS, commended the establishment of the CROs across healthcare facilities in the region.

“The training is timely and relevant. Improved communication will enhance service delivery,” Dr Nyanwura said.

He emphasised the need for health workers to improve their attitudes towards clients to enhance patient satisfaction and expressed confidence that the initiative would contribute to quality improvement across the region.

As part of the training programme, Richard Addah, a Neonatal Care Nurse at the Upper East Regional Hospital (UERH), introduced participants to a self-initiated client care portal.

He explained that the digital platform, currently in use at the Regional Hospital, provided patients, clients, and their relatives with a convenient and accessible channel to share their experiences and engage directly with healthcare facilities through Quick Response (QR) codes linked to the portal.

Godfred Polkuu, the Acting Regional Public Relations Officer of the GHS who facilitated the training, identified poor communication, inadequate explanation of medical procedures, long waiting times, and delays in registration and consultation as some of the common causes of client dissatisfaction across healthcare facilities.

He reminded participants that people-centred care remained one of the core values of the GHS and urged them, as CROs, to uphold the service's values in the discharge of their duties.