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A total of 22 out of 128 deaths recorded at the Saltpond Hospital in the Mfantseman Municipality of the Central Region last year, were caused by Hypertension, surpassing malaria to become the major cause of death at the hospital in the year under review. Mr James Adusei Boateng, Health Information Officer of the hospital made this known at the end of the Annual Performance Review Meeting of the Mfantseman Municipal Health Directorate in Saltpond. He explained that out of the total number of hypertensive patients, who died, six were between ages 61 and 70, four were aged between 71 and 80, and three were between 51 and 60 years, while another three were between 81 and 90 years. He said two were aged 90 and above, with two others aged between 41 and 50 years, one was 40, another one 31 and 30. The Review meeting brought together medical and non-medical staff from Anomabo, Dominase, Biriwa, Saltpond/Kormantse Sub-districts, Mankessim Sub Municipal, Saltpond Hospital, Mercy Women Centre, Municipal Ambulance Service and Mfantseman Mutual Health Insurance. Mr Boateng pointed out that hypertension was second on the hospital�s top 10 Out Patient Department (OPD) attendance in 2013 with 7,201 attendance rate against a third place in 2012 with 6,471 attendance rate. He said admissions of hypertensive patients into the hospital�s wards reduced to 152 patients last year as against 316 the previous year. The health information officer said malaria topped the list of OPD attendances with 19,413 patients as compared to 16,988 the previous year. He added that out of the number recorded last year, 1,366 patients were admitted into the various wards with 14 people losing their lives, making it the second cause of death at the facility.