Nkawie (Ash), May 13, GNA- The Atwima district recorded 9,606 cases of malaria for the first quarter of this year as against 8,368 last year.

Mrs Beatrice Appah, Atwima District Director of Health Services who made this known, attributed the increase in to the unhealthy environment and the refusal of the people to sleep in mosquito nets. Reviewing the performance of the directorate for the first quarter of the year at Nkawie on Tuesday, she said whereas only nine cases of Buruli Ulcer cases were recorded in the first quarter of last year, 44 cases of the disease had been recorded this year.

Mrs Appah mentioned malaria, diarrhoea, skin diseases, anaemia, gynaecological disorders and hypertension as some of the 10 top diseases in the district.

She mentioned intestinal worms, joint pains, cough and pneumonia as other diseases common in the district.

Mrs Appah said the district directorate has been able to train health staff on integrated diseases while an active case search for priority diseases was going on.

She mentioned the delay in releasing funds, high cost of maintenance of over-aged vehicles and the lukewarm attitude of community volunteers as some of the constraints the directorate was facing.