CCTH rallies stakeholder support to address maternal and neonatal challenges

Authorities at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital (CCTH) have tightened measures to address the continuous maternal and neonatal related deaths recorded at the facility.

Consequently, it has called for stakeholder support to establish a comprehensive maternal and child health facility at the hospital to adequately handle all cases including the many referrals from within and outside the Central Region.

The Hospital recorded 28 maternal deaths and a maternal mortality ratio of 925/100,000 live births in 2019 as against 27 maternal deaths and 860/100,000 live births in 2018.

Pre-term continued to be the leading cause of neonatal deaths in the hospital with a mortality ratio of 80/1000 live births in the year under review as against 63/1000 live births in the previous year.

Stillbirth rate also increases from 36 per cent in 2018 to 40 per cent in 2019.

Dr Eric Ngedu, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of CCTH blamed this on the hospital’s Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) which was not up to a level standard Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) but continued to receive increasing referral cases.

Admissions shot up from 890 in 2018 to 1,068 in 2019 representing a 16.6 per cent increase.

Addressing the 2019 performance review of the hospital on Thursday, Dr Ngyedu revealed that supervised deliveries decreased to 3,027 in 2019 from 3,160 in 2018.

He mentioned that the death ratio for the year under review also deceased from nine per cent to 7.5 per cent majority of which were still deaths.

The performance review which was themed “Redevelopment of Cape Coast Teaching Hospital for Quality Health Care" offered the hospital an opportunity to take stock of its performances and to design strategies for improvement in services.

Outlining some challenges facing the hospital, the CEO mentioned the absence of Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, the encroachment of the hospitals land, inadequate accommodation for staff, inadequate and ageing equipment, overcrowding and congestion at OPD among others.

He said the hospital in recognition of its challenges was in the process of developing a new medium-term strategic plan which would be aggressively pursued to ensure that the hospital continued to deliver quality health care services to its clients.

Major areas for consideration he said, included the establishment of a new Accident and Emergency Center, a new Renal Transport Center, an Oncology Centre with a pediatric wing, restocking of critical equipment and acquisition of new ones and many others.

In executing its visions, Dr Ngedu said the hospital would continue to work with the Ministry of Health and other relevant stakeholders while embarking on innovative ideas to bring new technologies and equipment to improve service delivery.

Mr Kwaku Agyemang Manu, the Minister of Health in a speech read on his behalf said the Ministry was strategising to improve on health services by strengthening partnerships with MMDA’s and the private sector.

He said Government was committed to improving the health sector and as such would continue to put in place pragmatic policies and programmes to improve upon access to health services

The Central Regional Minister, Mr Kwamena Duncan said the theme chosen enjoined all and sundry to be part of the hospital’s re-development adding that its five-year development plan gave a right response to the chosen theme.

He commended the hospital’s Board for providing the right direction and gave the assurance that the Regional Coordinating Council would continue to support and collaborate with the hospital in its efforts to improve upon quality healthcare.