KATH sees sharp decline in maternal deaths

A comprehensive health outreach programme initiated by the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), the nation’s second largest referral facility, is showing good results as cases of maternal deaths sharply decline at the hospital.

Dr. Joseph Akpaloo, the Chief Executive, said maternal mortality had dropped from the half-year high of 1221.62 per 100,000 live births in 2013 to 791.38, per 100,000 live births as of the middle of year 2016.

He gave same period figures for 2014 and 2015, as 1119.25 and 1077.80 per 100,000 live births, respectively.

Addressing a mid-year performance review meeting in Kumasi, he said the significant achievement had come on the back of outreach programmes carried out in peripheral hospitals across Ashanti and the adjoining regions – Brong-Ahafo, Central and Western by senior specialists and consultants from the Obstetrics and Gynaecology (O&G) and Child Health Directorates of the hospital.

This was done under the Health Ministry’s sponsored Millennium Development Goals Accelerated Framework (MAF), programme.

Dr. Akpaloo praised the commitment and dedication of the project team members and said they had brought a lot of relief to mothers and their families and asked that the momentum was sustained.

He applauded the ministry for its donation of a brand new Toyota Land Cruiser vehicle to facilitate the work of the team.

He told the meeting that there had been noticeable downturn in general cases seen at the facility.

Emergency cases for example during the period under review stood at 10,731 compared with the 2015 half-year total of 12,274.

At the same time, ward admissions dropped from 20,329 to 18,243 while deliveries decreased from 5,103 to 4,539 with Out-Patients Department (OPD) attendance climbing down from 34,637 to 32,208.

Dr. Akpaloo spoke of a number of infrastructure projects undertaken to further improve the quality of clinical care services.

These include refurbishment and expansion of the Oral Health Directorate at the cost of GH?237,000.00.

The hospital had also spent GH?1,000,000.00 of its internally-generated funds to procure equipment - anaesthetic machines, a new air compressor and dryers to improve the quality of oxygen produced, and dual head theatre and operating lamps.

He urged the various directorates to work hard to increase revenue generation to patients.