Tepa-Ashanti, Feb.07, GNA - Teenage pregnancy is on the increase within Ahafo-Ano North District of Ashanti which recorded 464 cases last year compared to 403 cases in 2004.

Dr (Mrs) Elizabeth Adentwi, Ahafo-Ano North District Director of Health Services who disclosed this, appealed to stakeholders including queen mothers, chiefs, assembly members and teachers to assist in the crusade to stem the tide.

Speaking at the annual performance review workshop at Tepa, she said malaria topped the 10 most common diseases within the district recording about 12,064 cases last year compared to 10,494 cases in 2004. Dr Adentwi said 210 Buruli Ulcer cases were recorded last year as compared to 140 cases recorded in 2004, while 111 cases of yaws, 33 cases of tuberculosis and 36 cholera cases were recorded within the district in 2005.

She urged the people to report all health and health-related cases to the district hospital, clinics or any health facility within the district for treatment but not resort to self-medication. Dr Felix Sarpong, Medical Superintendent in-charge of the Tepa Government Hospital, enumerated some of the problems facing health delivery within the district.

These included inadequate staff in all departments, lack of an ambulance to refer patients to Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH)in Kumasi, inadequate cash flow from Central Government and delay of payment of exemptions to the hospital.

He appealed to Buruli ulcer patients to ensure they received continuous treatment at the hospital to ensure full recovery. All the five sub-districts complained about the poor state of the motorbikes being used and called for their replacement to enable them reach remote areas of the district.

They also complained about lack of residential accommodation for health personnel posted to the district and urged the Ahafo-Ano North District administration to assist them solve the problem.

Mr Francis Bismark Osei, Presiding Member of the Ahafo-Ano North District assembly commended health personnel within the district for their hard work and dedication to ensure better health care delivery. He, however, appealed to people within the district who had not registered with the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to register to guarantee them affordable health care.