She said the situation required effective stress management systems for medical officers in health facilities to help avoid many health workers getting into their burnt out stages, which could negatively affect their performance.

Dr Dickson was speaking at the 18th Annual Conference of Ghana Christian Medical and Dental Fellowship (GCMDF) at Koforidua on stress and burnt out.She called on management of health facilities to develop stress management systems for their staff, promote strong team work so that medical officers could support each other.

Dr Dickson advised medical officers to build strong support system in their families and at their work places, take good care of their health, eat healthy diets, drink more water and take their rest seriously.

She explained that when one allowed the stress to develop to the burnt out stage, the immune system of the fellow collapses and is exposes the fellow to disease attacks.Dr Isaac Sarfo Acheampong, a Clinical Psychologist at the Koforidua Regional Hospital who spoke on emotional intelligence for the health worker, urged medical officers to develop interpersonal relationship with their patients and create a welcoming environment for them.

He said the environment created by the doctor, start the healing process of the patient before the prescription.Dr Acheampong said people who were emotionally intelligent looked at issues from the view point of others.