Sunyani, April 4, GNA - Dr Mohammed Bin Ibrahim, Brong-Ahafo Regional Director of Ghana Health Service has commended Cuban doctors working in Ghana for their great contributions in health delivery in the region. He made the commendation at a scientific research presentation workshop by Cuban doctors in Sunyani.

The Regional Director said the presence of Cuban doctors had made a great impact in the country's health delivery system, especially on progress in the region.

He said the presence of Cuban doctors has helped to cushion the effect of the exodus of Ghanaian doctors abroad, adding that many health programmes being undertaken in the region would not have been possible without the assistance of the Cubans.

Dr Ibrahim expressed the wish that the two-year contract of a Cuban Medical Brigade currently working in the region should be extended and their number increased from 14 to 28.

He said indicators in 2003 showed an appreciable improvement in clinical delivery from eight percent in 2001 to 46 percent in 2002 and "an astronomical jump" to 73.6 percent in 2003.

Dr Barbara Reynosa Aguero, a Paediatric Specialist, who is also the Coordinator of the Brong-Ahafo branch of the Cuban Brigade, said the group was engaged in 18 activities of community work.

She said the team attained 100 percent coverage in the treatment of asphyxia in new births. They gave consultation to 20 percent of women who were in their fertile age and attended to 119,972 patients, representing 147.8 percent, up from 81,168 patients previously.