DHMT making giant strides

Kuntanase (Ash), Feb. 26, GNA- The Bosomtwi Atwima Kwanwoma (BAK) District Health Management Team (DHMT), with its headquarters at Kuntanase in the Ashanti region, last year immunised 35,826 children below the age of five years in the district during the Integrated Maternal and Child Health Campaign IMCHC.

The District Director of Health Services for the area, Dr Mrs Agyatha Akua Bonney, who announced this said, 35,826 children were given polio vaccines representing 97 percent of their target, 26,908 children between six months and five years were also given vitamin A capsules, also representing 97 percent, while another 18,838 also between two and five years were de-wormed.

Dr Bonney disclosed this on Tuesday during the Annual Review Meeting organised by the DHMT at Kuntanase to take stock of the past year's events.

Dr Bonny said the district has since the year 2005 to date not recorded any case of yellow fever, guinea worm, CSM and neonatal tetanus and called on people to continue practicing good hygiene to prevent contracting any of such diseases.

She commended the Community Based Surveillance Volunteers (CBSV) whose role in the various communities has led to an improvement in health care delivery in the entire district. The Ashanti regional Health Promotional 0fficer, Mr Thomas T. Abbey, praised the DHMT for their dedication and hard work and urged them to keep it up.

He also urged the health officers to keep proper records of their activities to help the authorities to plan well ahead for proper administration.

Ms Portia Ansah, District School Health Coordinator said 850 school children from 21 schools were screened in 2007. She said 40 pupils from Brodekwano were diagnosed with bilharzia, 10 from Jachie had eye problems, while two children from Eduadin had Buruli ulcer and were referred to the Saint Michael's hospital at Jachie and the Komfo Anokye Teaching hospital respectively.