Mamponteng health centre appeals for wards

Mamponteng (Ash), Feb 4, GNA- Authorities at the Mamponteng Government Health Centre have appealed to the District Assembly and the government to provide wards at the centre to enable it to cater for in-patients and accident victim.

The centre has only four-bed capacity ward, which catered for both female, male and children who are admitted at the centre. Mr Enock Djangmah, Medical Assistant at the centre, made the appeal at a press briefing at Mamponteng on Tuesday as part of the activities marking the first anniversary of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) in the Mamponteng sub-district.

He said at times, the authorities were forced to admit patients at the labour wards for medical attention.

Mr Djangmah also expressed concern about lack of office and residential accommodation for staff at the centre and appealed for help. He said the Mamponteng sub-district, which had been divided into seven zones with nine health facilities, serves 26 communities with a population of 63,714 people.

Mr Djangmah announced that malaria, diarrhoea, coughing, pneumonia and hypertension were the top five leading ailments, which were frequently reported at the health facilities.

He noted that patronage of family planning services were very low in the area while teenage pregnancy was rampant, adding that, 77 cases of teenage pregnancies were recorded in 2003.

He appealed to chiefs and opinion leaders in the area to counsel teenagers to concentrate on their education and refrain from indulging in early sex.

Mr Djangmah said 19 cases of Tuberculosis (TB) were reported in the sub-district last year while three cases of guinea worm cases were treated.

He appealed to pregnant women to attend antenatal clinic and also deliver their babies at health centres to ensure their safety.