The Ho Teaching Hospital in the Volta Region has appealed to the government to take over the payment of the 13th-month salary policy, which is currently funded through the hospital’s Internally Generated Funds (IGF).

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the hospital, Dr. John Tampouri, made the appeal during the hospital’s 2024 annual review meeting in Ho.

Dr. Tampouri highlighted the hospital’s ongoing challenges, particularly the high attrition rate of healthcare workers, as many nurses and doctors leave for better opportunities abroad.

He explained that the 13th-month salary policy, which serves as an incentive to retain staff, has become a significant financial burden on the hospital, necessitating government intervention or a renegotiation of the terms.

He further noted that the policy benefits doctors, pharmacists, and allied health workers, stressing that government support would ease the financial strain on the hospital and enhance staff motivation.

Additionally, Dr. Tampouri called for the expansion of the hospital facility to accommodate the growing number of patients.

He revealed that while the hospital was designed to accommodate 240 beds, the increasing demand for healthcare services has far exceeded this capacity, putting immense pressure on resources.

He urged the government to equip the hospital with modern infrastructure and medical supplies to improve service delivery.

Despite these challenges, Dr. Tampouri assured the public of the hospital’s commitment to providing quality healthcare and its vision to become a leading medical tourism destination in Africa