The Adaklu District in the Volta Region did not record any maternal deaths in 2013 and 2014 but recorded an increase in teenage pregnancy from 68 to 81 within the same period.

Mr. Charles Azagba, Acting District Director of Health announced this at the 2014 performance review meeting of the District Health Directorates at Adaklu Tsriefe.

He described the teenage pregnancy situation as disturbing and called on all stakeholders, including chiefs, opinion leaders and assembly members to help curb the phenomenon.

Mr. Azagba said access to health care has also increased from 54 per cent in 2013 to 85 per cent in 2014 and may increase to 100 per cent this year”.

He said the Directorate increased geographical access to health services in the vast district and applied for accreditation by the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) for ten health facilities in the district.

Mr Azagba said the Directorate has in collaboration with a non-governmental organization; Future Generations International (FUGI) trained 60 volunteers to strengthen health surveillance in the district.

He catalogued a number of challenges hindering the work of health personnel in the district, including inadequate office accommodation, residential accommodation for staff, transport, logistics and delay in reimbursement of NHI claims.

He commended GOSANET Foundation and FUGI for their support in the areas of TB activities, immunization and training of volunteers, and the Mount Zion Temple of Ireland for donating medical equipments to the directorate through Help Our Village Foundation.

Ms. Augusta Nartey of the National Malaria Control Programme said 70 per cent of fevers in rural Ghana and 50 per cent in urban areas were still being managed at homes while malaria in pregnancy was still a challenge.

Ms. Joan Eleeza, Deputy Director of Nursing Service, Public Health, urged health facilities to periodically organize durbars to educate and sensitize their clients and also showcase their achievements.

“Desist from always telling the people your challenges but also tell them what you are able to do despite the challenges”, she advised.

In a speech read for him, Mr. Emmanuel Ganaku, Adaklu District Chief Executive said extension works on a number of health facilities in the district, including a laboratory at Waya Health Centre is ongoing and appealed to the District Health Directorate to present a data on equipments needed at the laboratory to the District Assembly.

Ms Perfect Eyram Agbedzige, Health Information and Disease Control Officer of the district said diseases such as malaria, diarrhoea and hypertension were on the increase in the district.

She said these could only be curtailed through behavioural change by the people.

Togbe Lablulu Tegbeza IV, who represented the Paramount Chief of the area, was grateful to health personnel who accept posting to the infant district and assured that all teething problems facing them would be solved with time.