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Upper West Regional Director of Health dies shortly after chairing meeting

The sorrowful incident has worsened the pathetic case of a region battling with inadequate doctors to bridge the patient-doctor ratio.

Dr Abdulai Forgor

The medical community in the Upper West Region was hit with sad news last Wednesday, when the region’s Director of Health, Dr Abdulai Forgor, died moments after a meeting at the Regional Health Directorate.

Close sources say Dr Forgor died at the Intensive Care Unit of the Wa Regional Hospital after chairing a meeting of the top hierarchy of the regional health system.

With a population of about 600,000 and a doctor population of less than 20, the Upper West Region has a doctor - patient ratio of one to 30,000.

He was said to have suddenly been in throes of death in his car without any sign of ill-health or medical condition, when he was about to set off for lunch, and despite efforts by other medical doctors to resuscitate him, he died instantly.

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Family members from his native Sawla in the Northern Region were in Wa to process the body for burial yesterday in accordance with his Islamic faith.

The news has left staff of both the health directorate and the regional hospital mourning one of the most dedicated medical officers to have passed through the regional health system.

Experienced and dedicated

A medical doctor with more than 20 years of practice, Dr Forgor doubled as a regular face in the consulting room at the regional hospital, always on hand to lend support in the health system which has a heavy deficit of medical doctors.

Indeed, he worked to entice medical doctors to the region, advancing arguments of lucrative deals and attractive incentives to those who cared to sacrifice supposed comforts of life elsewhere to offer services to the region.

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His warmth as both a man and a professional as acknowledged by patients and staff made the spontaneous mourning a justified tribute to an astute character.

He spent less than two years at his latest post as Upper West Regional Health Director, having worked in various positions across the country in the medical field.

Credit: Graphiconline

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