The Upper West regional minister, Dr. Ephraim Avea Nsoh has bemoaned the lack of adequate medical doctors in the region, accusing doctors, who hail from the area, of abandoning their people.

According to Dr. Avea Nsoh, the current situation is not acceptable as the it needs immediate attention in order to save the lives of the people there.

"So if there is serious epidemic, are they going to now mobilize doctors to come and save their own people", the Regional minister quizzed.

Dr. Avea Nsoh's comments came in the wake of difficulties currently faced by the region in terms of availability of doctors working in the region as he poured out his frustrations, while speaking to Joy News' Manasseh Azure Awuni.

Every year, most of the medical doctors posted to the three regions in the North, refuse to go there, even though a good number of doctors in Ghana come from that part of the country

The Upper West region is the poorest in terms of doctor-patient ratio in the country and this becoming a source of concern to residents, including the Regional Minister.

Joy News Manasseh Azure Awuni reports, Monday that between 2010 and 2012, 35 medical doctors were posted to the three regions of the north but none of them took up the post.

There are currently, 22 hospitals and 94 health centers in the three regions but most of them do not have medical doctors.

The Upper West for instance, is said to have produced a good number of the country's medical doctors and health professionals, however, some districts in the region do not have medical doctors serving there.

The arguments many professionals advance against accepting postings to the North  is the absence of amenities such as good schools for their children, however, Dr. Avea Nsoh said this argument is flawed especially for those, who hail from that part of the country.

"When the missionaries came here, [built schools, taught, recruited people, who did not know anything and teaching those who are now doctors], did they have schools for their children?", the regional minister queried.

Meanwhile, Dr. Elias Sory, the immediate past Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) and a native of the Upper West region noted that beyond the excuse of lack of amenities by health professionals, who hail from the area, the pressure from family members is another reason why they chose not to practice there.

"The social side is there, that always prevents people from starting, especially, when you are a starter, to go and start-up in your own place...needs commitment".