Central Regional Health Director Dr. Alexis Nang - Beifubah has commended the Central regional Minister, Mr. Kwamena Duncan and his team of MMDCEs for helping keep the region clean which has aided in making the region a cholera free zone.
According to him, there was zero percent record in the epidemic prone diseases such as cholera, yellow Fever, CMS and measles in the region.
Dr Nang-Beifubah said the challenges facing the region particularly is hypertension and diabetes which are considered to be lifestyle diseases.
He said the absence of the National Health Insurance which covers for routine screening of services is also worrying.
He said these lifestyle related diseases could be prevented through increase in physical activities, healthy eating habits alongside regular health checks for early diagnosis and management.
The Regional Director was speaking at the central regional health sector 2017 annual performance review meeting at Cape Coast in the central region, on the theme: "Achieving the Health Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Through Effective Stakeholders Engagement".
He indicate that the reported outbreak of Lassa fever in Nigeria has placed Ghana at a high risk as West African neighbor and also because Ghana had the experienced outbreak of the disease before in 2011.
"I, however wish to assure the good people of this region that our surveillance system has been triggered and all our health facilities and staff are on the alert to help prevent entry of the disease into the region", Dr Nang-Beifubah assured.
The Regional Director further explained that, the health financing year under review remained a major challenge with the government of Ghana goods and services inflows.
"The dwindling sector budget support and the high NHIA indebtedness to the health facilities stagnated per capita expenditure on health. This affected tracer medicine availability and monitoring and supervision of health service delivery at the various levels, among others", he stated.
Former pro vost of the college of health and allied sciences Rev. Prof. Harold S. Amonoo- Kuofi stressed on the need for the inclusion of all stakeholders from formal and informal sectors.
Central Regional Minister, Kwamena Duncan appealed for professionalism on part of the health professionals in the various health sectors.
Source: Sally Ngissah, Central Regional Correspondent
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