Dr uses torchlight to perform operation during power outage

Saltpond (C/R), Jan 25, GNA - The Mfantseman Municipal Director of the Ghana Health Service, Dr Kwabena Sarpong, has appealed to the government to provide the Saltpond Government Hospital with a standby generator to save the facility from difficulties it encounters during power outage.

"In one instance, I was conducting a caesarian operation one day when the power went off and I had to use a torchlight to save the lives of the baby and the mother," Dr Sarpong said.

Dr Sarpong made the appeal at the annual performance review meeting of health facilities in the Municipality at Saltpond.

He appealed to the National Health Insurance Authority to review the prices of pharmaceutical drugs to keep them at par with what pertains on the open market.

He said service providers were operating at a loss since drugs they served to clients of the health insurance schemes were below the prices t= hey bought them.

The Director said if immediate action was not taken on the review of the drug list, service providers would be compelled to prescribe the drugs to the clients to buy at the open market.

Dr Sarpong also urged the Authority to ensure prompt payment of claims submitted by the service providers in order to keep them in business. According to him the last time the Mfantseman Municipal Mutual Health Insurance Scheme paid claims to the service providers in the municipality=

was June 2009.

The Health Director said cases of HIV are on the increase in the Municipality and urged the people to be careful about their sexual behaviour.

He said hypertension and diabetes were becoming killer diseases in the Municipality, and suggested the formation of Keep Fit Clubs to engage the=

people in physical exercises. The medical officer cautioned against the high intake of salt and alcohol. Dr Sarpong advised the assemblies to organize regular health walks f= or the communities. He expressed concern about the unwillingness of pregnant women to deliver at recognized health facilities, saying "only 42 per cent deliver= ed at health facilities in 2009."

The Director said defaulting in tuberculosis treatment created a mechanism which made the germs become hardened and resistant to treatment= , and urged patients to abide strictly by their medication. Dr Sarpong said malaria continued to be a leading disease in the Miunicipality.