Afram Plains North District achieves healthcare targets

For the first time in five years, health performance indicators for the Kwahu Afram Plains North District have improved.

The Disease Control Officer at the District Health Directorate, Mr Albert Ewe, who made this known, said for the past five years the district had not for instance achieved its half year target in the expanded immunisation programme. 

“However, based on initiatives the district directorate of health has taken this year, indicators regarding performances in health in the Kwahu Afram Plains North District has improved,” he said.

Mr Ewe was speaking to the Daily Graphic at Amankwa Tornu in the Kwahu Afram Plains North District. He said as of June this year, the district had achieved more than 50 per cent in all performance indicators regarding health and attributed the achievement to innovative initiatives by the district health directorate.

World Bank-sponsored project

He identified the Maternal, Child Health and Nutrition Project funded by the World Bank as one of the major projects that had boosted healthcare in the district.

Mr Ewe said the main challenge in meeting the health care targets had been the non-availability of funds, “but with this project, funding is not a problem. In March, money arrived and likewise in August too.”

Mr Ewe said the district had also liaised with some non-governmental organisations such as the UNICEF, the African Wise Initiative International, the Plan Ghana International, as well as the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI), to improve health care. 

For example, he said the district directorate of health, in collaboration with the African Wise Initiative International, had adopted the Dwarf Island to identify all health issues pertaining there in order to provide a comprehensive healthcare procedure for the people.

“It will start in October with doctors, nurses and other health personnel going to the island to treat the people of various ailments, as well as carry out health education campaigns,” he said.

Mr Ewe announced that the NGO would be assessing three areas on the island for disease patterns in order to offer interventions and also upgrade existing Community Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compounds to standardised levels, among other things.

He called for more CHPS compounds on the islands and also expressed worry about the lack of accommodation for health personnel.

Challenges

The Human Resource Officer at the District Health Directorate, Mr Christian Nutsigah, said a major concern in the district was the refusal of health personnel to accept posting to the district, particularly to the islands. 

While admitting that living in the area was difficult, Mr Nutsigah expressed the view that the Ghana Health Service (GHS) could attract health personnel to the place with special incentives.

He also expressed worry over maternal deaths in the district, saying in 2015, the district recorded five such cases, while two were recorded in the first half of this year.

Mr Nutsigah attributed the situation to late arrivals at health facilities and the failure of expectant mothers to seek ante-natal care.

Writer’s Email: severious.dery@graphic.com.gh