Accra, Feb. 9, GNA - The Greater Accra Regional Health Directorate of the Ghana Health Service in 2006 identified bad roads, illiteracy and poor access to water as some of the non-health factors that affected the region's performance in healthcare delivery.

Inappropriate infrastructure distribution, constraint investment budgets and the erroneous impression that Greater Accra was problem-free without examining the micro planning issues also contributed to their low performance.

Dr Irene Agyapong, Regional Health Director, said this at the end of the Region's Annual Health Sector Performance review on Friday in Accra.

She said the Region did well in the areas of malaria prevention and Expanded Immunisation Programme, but performed poorly in nutrition for communities.

She noted that the nutritional status of children under-five years was not encouraging adding, a study conducted by the Regional Health Directorate indicated that stunting was on the rise with Ashiedu Keteke recording 58 per cent and 20 per cent in underweight. Dr Agyepong noted that the Region also received complaints from clients about unfriendly staff attitude, long waiting times, non-availability of medicines and prescriptions for clients to buy their drugs outside the hospitals.

She called for fair distribution in relation to tasks, support for occupational health and work place safety, essential equipment, tools and supplies as a means of motivation in achieving their goal of improving the health status and reducing inequalities in health outcomes of the people in the Region.

Professor John Gyapong, Director of the Health Research Unit of the Ghana Health Service, called for institutionalised surveys so enable other institutions and the headquarters to follow their activities and render support.

He explained that the demand of the people in the Region was heavy and advised them to strengthen their collaboration with stakeholders to increase resources in order to improve the living conditions of the people.

Districts, hospitals, training institutions, and sub-metro health facilities that excelled in 2006 were awarded with prizes.