Begoro, Feb. 10, GNA - The Fanteakwa District Hospital at Begoro recorded zero measles cases last year following a comprehensive mass education campaign and integrated diseases surveillance by stakeholders in the health delivery system.

The District Director of Health Services, Mr Frederick Kwame Ofosu, made this known at the Annual Performance Review Meeting of the staff of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) at Begoro on Thursday.

According to him, child mortality dropped from 19 deaths in 2004 to 12 deaths in 2005, representing 37 per cent.

He stated, however, that malaria accounted for 25 per cent of child mortality last year, while the district chalked 80 per cent coverage in the Expanded Immunisation Programme.

Mr Ofosu hoped, with the support from the Global Fund, the district would embark on a campaign to drastically reduce malaria attack among under-five- year children and pregnant women.

He regretted that the district could not maintain its zero maternal death record in 2004 due to "circumstances beyond our control" and appealed to the District Assembly to expedite action to furnish the Asirebuso clinic in order to for it to complement basic health facilities in the district.