Dabosiira (U/W), May 31, GNA - Mr Ambrose Dery, Upper West Regional Minster on Wednesday urged parents in to adhere to the immunization schedules designed by the Ghana Health Service for their children in order to reduce the increasing number of child deaths in the region. He observed that, while the Upper East Region, which had similar socio-economic characteristics as the Upper West has been recording the lowest infant mortality rates in the country in recent times, that of his region was rather on the increase.

Mr Dery said this when he launched this year's Child Health Promotion week at Dabosiira in the Wa West District of the Region. Activities lined up for the week within the district, include the provision of core services such as Vitamin 'A' supplement to children under five years, pre-treatment of bed nets, growth monitoring and immunization of children under five years and issuing of birth certificates to children under one year.

He noted with concern that the infant mortality rate in health institutions in the region ranged from 33 per 1,000 to 150 per 1,000 live births.

Data gathered last year revealed that out of 215 children aged under five years who were examined, malnutrition, which was another major factor of child mortality in the region, accounted for 18.6 per cent of the number.

Mr Dery called for a high level of collaboration between the Environmental Health Unit and District Directorate of Health services in the promotion of healthy environment as panacea to the high costs involved in health care delivery.

The Regional Minister also expressed concern about the low level of registration for the National Health Insurance Scheme in the district and said parents would be denying their children access to essential health care if they failed to register and pay their premiums. Miss Phoebe Balagunyetime, the District Director of Health Services, stressed the importance of environmental cleanliness in the prevention of diseases, saying a clean environment would serve as the first line of defence against the spread of diseases. She appealed to Traditional Authorities to apply sanction against mothers who refuse to send their children for post-natal health care. Mr Daniel Kuusogno, the District Chief Executive advised the men folk against excessive alcoholism and rather use the money intended for alcohol to take care of their children.

He announced that the District Assembly would construct three day-care centres at Ga, Nyuoli and Gurungu, this year.