Amansie West District records high still births

Manso-Nkwanta (Ash), Feb. 6, GNA - The Amansie West District last year recorded 42 still births because expectant mothers arrived at health facilities too late to deliver the babies.

Mr Joseph Adomako, District Director of Health Services, who made this known at an annual health performance review meeting for 2006 at Manso-Nkwanta, attributed the dismal situation to the delays in sending women in labour to health facilities as a result of the lack of means of transport.

"Expectant women arrive at the health facilities too late and thereby lose their babies", he added.

He said 30 of the still born cases were recorded at the Saint Martin's Hospital at Agroyesum, while the remaining 12 happened in other health facilities in the District.

Mr Adomako said apart from malaria, which topped the diseases, the hospital recorded 113 buruli ulcer cases, 13 HIV/AIDS, 15 onchocerciasis, three yaws and 17 tuberculosis (TB).

He said the high cost of service delivery was one of the problems facing the District as the District Health Directorate spent 4.5 million cedis every week on fuel.

Other problems included inadequate staff of all categories, lack of both office and residential accommodation and the deteriorating infrastructure of Manso-Adubia and Essuowin health centres. He appealed to the District Assembly and the Regional Health Directorate to come to their aid to renovate the two facilities. Mr Gordon Asiedu Biney, Administrator of the Agroyesum Saint Martin's Catholic Hospital, said of the 113 buruli ulcer cases recorded, two-thirds were from outside the District. He appealed to the government to let the National Health Insurance Scheme cover buruli ulcer patients as cost of treatment for the disease was too high.

Nana Opia Mensah, Otumfuo Wirempehene, commended the health staff for their hard work and commitment to duty and called for incentive packages to health workers working in rural areas.