Collaborate to provide efficient service - Dr Oduro

Kumasi, July 26, GNA - Dr Joseph Oduro, Kumasi Metropolitan Director of Health Services, has called for an effective collaboration between the public and private health facilities in order to promote efficient and quality healthcare delivery for the people in the metropolis.

He said government alone could not shoulder the provision of quality healthcare and there was the need for all stakeholders, including private practitioners to come together to provide quality services that would help improve the health status of the people. Dr Oduro made the call at a half-year review meeting of the metropolitan health directorate in Kumasi on Tuesday.

Health officials, including the private sector from the five health sub-metros presented their half-year reports, which included achievements, challenges and the way forward.

Malaria was identified as the leading cause of Out-Patient Department (OPD) attendance, admissions and deaths in all the sub-metros.

In the Asokwa sub-metro for instance, malaria accounted for 90 deaths in the first half of the year. 1,430 children below the ages of five were admitted for malaria treatment of which two died. Other reported diseases in the metropolis were measles, HIV/AIDS, cholera and diarrhoea.

Teenage pregnancies were also found to be on the increase in the metropolis as most antenatal attendants in the hospitals were between the ages of 10 and 19.

It came out of the meeting that routine monthly outreach immunizations had gone down in the metropolis while immunization days coverage had however, been increasing.

Lack of doctors, nurses and other health workers in most of the health facilities as well as lack of transportation and equipment were identified as some of the challenges facing the smooth healthcare delivery in the metropolis.

Dr Oduro said even though health personnel faced a number of challenges there was the need for them to do whatever they could to improve upon their performance.

He said government was committed to the provision of the necessary equipment and infrastructure to support quality healthcare delivery in the country.