THE Eastern Regional Directorate of Ghana Health Service (GHS) has disclosed the alarming rate of non-communicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes.
It says the two diseases continue to increase over the years in the region.
According to the Eastern Regional Director of the GHS, Dr Charity Sarpong, cases of hypertension have increased from 94,962 in 2014 to 109, 681 in 2015, while the cases of diabetes have also increased from 31,887 in 2014 to 36, 857 in 2015.
Dr Sarpong made these known at the Eastern Regional Health Service Annual Performance Review Meeting 2015 on the theme: ‘Enhancing Maternal And New-Born Survival – Sustaining PICCAM’ at the St Bakhita Church Conference Hall, Koforidua, Tuesday.
She said the surge calls for urgent strategies to arrest the trend and the “health sector will come out with strategies to address the high rate of non-communicable diseases annually.”
Dr Sarpong indicated that teenage pregnancy has decreased marginally in the region from 13,523 in 2013, 12,750 in 2014 to 12, 532 in 2015.
“In our mandate to reduce disease burden, especially HIV, TB, malaria, etc, the region registered appreciable reduction in cases. Activities undertaken such as EPI, enhanced surveillance and public education, training of health staff and ITN distribution have all contributed to the success story. We are indebted to our partners, including Malaria Care, NMCP, NACP, NTP, GHS/ MoH for their continuous support in these areas,” Dr Sarpong said.
Giving the statistics about the Regional Health Service performance in 2015 on maternal mortality, she said it has reduced from 192/100,000 lives births in 2013, 169/100,000 live birth in 2014 to 103/100,000 in 2015, adding that, with the implementation of the PICCAM strategy, the Eastern Regional Health Directorate is expecting further decline in 2016.
NHIA Debts
Dr Sarpong mentioned that the delay in payment of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) claims was having negative impacts on the health institutions.
“Hospitals and clinics are unable to pay salaries of non-mechanised staff and utility bills. They are also unable to pay their creditors, hence, health facilities have been hit by shortage of essential drugs, medical and surgical supplies, which they are unable to pay the outstanding debts and often suppliers have been reluctant to work with them,” the regional health director added.
Agenda
The performance review meeting was aimed at gathering all the management and representatives of healthcare providers in the region to come together and take critical decision, assess and review the services they provided to their clients from January to December in 2015.
The annual review performance was also initiated to outdoor their achievements and identify the health challenges in order to enable them to decide the way forward for 2016.
Eastern Regional Minister designate, Mavis Ama Frimpong, on her part, commended the efforts of the Eastern Regional Health Directorate.
She added that the Eastern Regional Coordinating Council would collaborate with the Eastern Regional Health Services to facilitate their support to enable them to work effectively.
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