Saltpond (C/R), June 2, GNA - Three hundred and twenty-two (322) cases of HIV/AIDS have been recorded by health facilities in the Mfantseman Municipality from January 2010 to May 2010. For the same period, 112 cases of Tuberculosis (TB) and 1,440 cases of hypertension have also been recorded in the Municipality. Mr Henry Kweku Hayfron, Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), announced these statistics at the first ordinary meeting of the fourth session of the fifth Assembly held at saltpond.
Mr Hayfron said apart from the prevalence of these diseases, mortality rate amongst teenagers in the municipality was high. He expressed his displeasure at the health situation in the area and appealed to the Health Directorate and other relevant agencies such as the Information Services Department, National Commission for Civic Education, civil society organisations, religious groups, traditional authorities and the Municipal Assembly, to mount public education campaigns to deal with the situation.
The MCE noted that most of the diseases which were prevalent in the Municipality could have been prevented, if the people had adopted the right attitude to life, and observed clean personal and environmental cleanliness. He advised the people to abstain from life styles such as excessive intake of alcohol, smoking and indiscriminate and unprotected sex.
Mr Hayfron said the executive committee of the Assembly had endorsed the relocate of Saltpond Municipal Hospital to a more spacious area, for the expansion work to take place.
The Assembly noted with concern the high incidence of child trafficking in some communities in the Municipality notable Immuna, Edumafa, Asaafa and Ekumpoano, and called for a concerted efforts from all and sundry in eradicating the menace from the Municipality. The Assembly also expressed disgust at the deplorable conditions of police stations and the residences of the police personnel in the Municipality especially those at Anomabo, Saltpond, Mankessim and Essarkyir. The Assembly members appealed to the Minister of the Interior to help the Assembly to address the problem, to enable the police to have peace to protect the nation.
They further appealed to the government to speed up action on the completion of abandoned police structures as stated by President John Evans Atta Mills in the State of the Nation Address. Mr Kofi Aikins, Presiding Member, expressed gratitude to the Assembly for nominating him to accompany the MCE to attend a conference on World Alliance of Cities Against Poverty in Rotterdam, Netherlands, in February 2010.
Mr Aquinas Tawiah Quansah, Member of Parliament for Mfantseman West briefed the Assembly on some of the proceedings in Parliament and assured the people that the Better Ghana Agenda pledged by President Mills was on course. He appealed to Ghanaians to exercise patient and allow the government time to deliver.
