The management of Saint Martin's Hospital at Agroyesum in the Amansie West District of Ashanti have expressed concern about the emerging phenomenon of treated patients running away and leaving their medical bills unpaid.

Mr Emmanuel Taddie, the Hospital Adminstrator, said the unsettled bills left by the runaway patients stood at over ?30 million. He made this known at an annual health review workshop the District Health Management Team (DHMT) organised for health workers, assembly members and community leaders at Manso-Nkwanta last Thursday.

Mr Taddie said the situation was putting tremendous pressure on the hospital's limited resources and appealed to chiefs and assembly members in the area to assist the management to track down and recover the bills.

He mentioned lack of adequate medical staff as another area of concern and suggested to the district assembly to help sponsor the training of nurses from the district. The hospital administrator said such trainee nurses could be made to sign a bond to serve for a specified period of time in the area on completion of their training.

Mr Taddie called for an end to the practice where patients suffering from Buruli ulcer from outside the district were referred to the hospital for treatment. He stated that they did not have any specialised facilities for the treatment of the ulcer.

Mr Joseph Adomako, District Director of Health Services, noted with concern the upsurge in the incidence of tuberculosis in the area, saying, a total of 59 cases were recorded last year compared to 34 in 2000. He said to help control the situation, a "case holding approach" was being used to ensure that patients underwent the full course of treatment. The District Health Director complained about the low percentage usage of iodated salt by the people, noting that, just about 47 per cent of the population used it.

The participants at the workshop called on the Ministry of Health to work closely with the Christian Council, Muslim chiefs and other religious doctrines inhibiting the acceptance of family planning.