Mfantseman Directorate of Health intensifies public health education

Saltpond (C/R), March 7, GNA - The Mfantseman District Directorate of the Ghana Health Service has intensified public education on the use of the insecticide treated net (ITN) as means of the combating malaria the leading killer disease in the district.

Briefing Ghana News Agency at Saltpond on the activities of the Directorate, Miss Mavis Narh, District Public Health Nurse said 13,475 malaria cases were reported in 2004 as against 11,845 in 2003. Miss Narh said the education would be extended to environmental sanitation for the breeding grounds of mosquitoes to be destroyed. The Public Health Nurse said the Directorate would team up with the Ghana Education Service in fighting teenage pregnancies in the district, adding that, teenage pregnancies increased from 978 in 2003 to 1026 in 2004.

Miss Narh said as a result of the government's fee-free delivery at health institutions in the Central Region supervised deliveries increased from 1706 in 2003 to 2278 in 2004 and stated that the delay in reporting at health facilities continued to be a worry to the authorities.

She advised expectant mothers to report early to avoid complications.

Mrs Ophelia Adu Brempong, District Nutrition Officer said in 2003 116 cases of children with malaria and severe anaemia were recorded out of which 14 died but the number increased to 423 cases with 27 deaths in 2004.

Mrs Brempong advised nursing mothers to take vitamin 'A' doses to improve the health of their babies.