Regional Health Directorate- Upper West

The Upper West Regional Health Directorate (RHD) is headed by Dr. Damien Punguyire, the Regional Director of Health Service. He is assisted by four Regional Deputy Directors, namely, Deputy Director Public Health, Deputy Director Clinical Care, Deputy Director Health Administration and Support Services and Deputy Director Finance. Under each Deputy Director are administrative and technical staff with the responsibility of coordinating health programmes/projects, and technical/ administrative units of the RHD.

The RHD is responsible for policy dissemination, stakeholder dialogue, capacity-building, coordination of planning and implementation of health policies and programmes in the region. The Departments under the RHD provide technical support, monitoring and supervisory functions of health services delivered at the district, sub-district, and community level in the region.

Under the RHD are 11 Municipal / District Health Directorates headed by Municipal / District Directors of Health Service who provide supervision, technical and management support as well as champion the implementation of health policies and programmes in the districts and sub-districts within the region.

There are a total of 448 health facilities providing various types of health services in the region. The facilities comprise three (3) district government hospitals, one (1) regional hospital, two (2) CHAG hospitals and three (3) private hospitals. The rest are five (4) Polyclinics, 72 health centres, 10 clinics, 5 maternity homes and and 319 CHPS Compounds. Two out of the nine districts in the region (Wa East, and Lambussie) have no district or private hospital.

As the body responsible for health services in the region, the RHD maintains close links with all other agencies of the Ministry of Health, the local government system, traditional authorities, and other stakeholders in health including development partners, and civil society in the region.