Volta records steady improvement in health
Health indicators in Volta and Oti Regions have shown constant improvement over the last three years.
Dr Timothy Letsa, Regional Health Director, addressing the 2018 Regional Health Sector Performance Review Conference in Ho said, institutional under five mortality rate, from 2016 to 2018 declined from 9.95 to 5.3 per 1000 live births.
Maternal mortality decreased from 167.7 per 100,000 live births in 2016 to 78.6 in 2018, whiles stillbirths dipped from 1.9 per 1000 live births to 1.2 same period.
Fatalities resulting from under five malaria cases reduced from 0.39 to 0.14 per cent, postnatal care coverage increased from 53.5 to 56.2 per cent, and skilled deliveries went up from 43.5 to 48.6 per cent, 2016 to 2018.
Teenage pregnancy in the Region also saw a significant reduction from 15.2 to 14 per cent.
The Regional Director of Health Services said notwithstanding the above successes, some service delivery sectors particularly the Extended Programme on Immunization, suffered marginal reduction.
Dr Letsa said the Directorate had digitized primary healthcare registers by deploying electronic reporting systems in all districts to address shortfalls.
He said health delivery in the region continued to face challenges including the lack of laboratory facilities in health centres, high staff attrition rates, and a pile up of debts owed suppliers and the regional medical stores.
Dr. Letsa also revealed an increase in non-communicable diseases, particularly hypertension and diabetes, and appealed for the completion of abandoned projects, as well as the maintenance of government residential buildings in the region for health workers.
The Directorate recognized the support of health partners including the USAID, UNICEF, KOFIH and KOICA towards the improvement of health service delivery in the Region.
Dr Letsa said the Region would leverage on ICT to improve service documentation across all levels, and improve upon the availability of medicines at all service points.
The conference was on the theme “Sustaining the Gains and Overcoming the Challenges: The Role of ICT in Healthcare Delivery in the Volta Region”.
Dr Archibald Yao Letsa, Volta Regional Minister said two hospitals had been earmarked for construction in the newly created Oti Region, specifically at Kpassa in the Nkwanta North District, and Dambai in the Krachi East Municipality.
He said aside recruiting more nurses and support staff, Government would ensure that health insurance claims were paid on time, and would procure ambulances this year in addition to other logistics.
Ho Municipal Hospital was awarded a citation for being the best performing health institution in the Region for the year under review.
Mrs Catherine Abena Adobea, a Midwifery Officer was also honoured for serving hard to reach areas in the Krachi districts for over 30 years.
Source: GNA