Bolgatanga, Nov 15, GNA - The Upper East Health Sector has received improvement since 1960's, Mr Nicholas N Nayembil, the retired educationist, has said.

He said this during the Upper East at 50 celebrations at the weekend when he delivered a speech on the topic," Upper East Region -A Historical Perspective."

Mr Nayembil said the introduction of the National Health Insurance Scheme in 2004 had enabled many people to receive treatment quickly at the hospitals.

He said the Region, which used to have only three hospitals at Bolgatanga, Navrongo and Bawku now has three additional hospitals at Sandema in the Builsa District, Bongo District and Bawku West District. In addition there are three clinics, health centres at Binaba, Garu, Widana, Nangodi, Pwalugu, Tongo, Zuarungu, Sherigu, Datoku, Sakoti among others.

Mr Nayembil said before 2000, there was no programme for eradication of some common diseases but the Integrated Disease Surveillance Response was started and health personnel had been trained to control of diseases. "For the eradication of polio the Integrated Disease Response started in 1996 is still functioning. The National Immunization Day has been going on for the eradication of diseases". He said Guinea worm, measles, leprosy, malaria, TB , yaws and HIV are under control, adding that the Upper East Region which used to be the highest endemic area of leprosy in the country during the 1960's and 70's are now under control. Mr Nayembil said with the use of multi-drug therapy recommended by the World Health Organization, the "Upper East Region is one of the least Regions with leprosy cases in the country." He said by the end of December 2009, the Regional elimination was 0.76 per cent, adding that there were only three districts in the Region which were still endemic which are Bongo, Builsa and Bolgatanga. Mr Nayembil said it was the hope of the Region that the three endemic districts would reach the elimination point and the Region would be free of leprosy.