Wa, Feb.11, GNA - Mr. Kale Caesar, the Deputy Upper West Regional Minister, has advised health service providers to desist from committing greater part of monies paid to them from the National Health Insurance Scheme to cover administrative cost. He said the practice was unacceptable and makes health care services more costly at public health facilities. He said the practice could collapse the system and must be checked to ensure that the objective of making health care delivery accessible and affordable was achieved.

Mr. Kale said this at the 2009 annual health sector performance review meeting held in Wa on Wednesday. The three-day meeting was on the theme: "Working to Reduce Maternal and Child Mortality in the Upper West Region: The role of Stakeholders". He said the increase in skilled delivery from 42.2 per cent in 2008 to 65 per cent in 2009, the dropping of under five mortality cases from 208 in 2003 to 142 in 2008 and the increase in children immunization from 60.3 per cent in 2003 to 88.9 per cent in 2008 were very remarkable achievements that must be commended.

Mr. Kale said though these achievements were commendable much still needed to be done to improve on quality health service delivery in the region and urged the health staff never to be complacent but work hard to achieve more successes. He said the government was committed to the construction of a Regional Hospital and that plans were also far advanced to establish a Health Assistants Training School at Lawra. Mr Kale said the activities of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) should also be streamlined to meet the current health requirements. "Traditional authorities, community members as well as individual clients and families should be made to own health facilities," he said. 11 Feb 10