Gwollu (UW), Feb. 4, GNA - Madam Grace Tanye, Sissala West District Director of Health Services, has reminded health personnel that access to quality health care services is a right that must be enjoyed by all citizens.

Health care providers must, therefore, avoid discrimination on the basis of status, tribe and religious backgrounds of their clients when rendering them services. Madam Tanye was speaking at Gwollu, the district capital during the annual health review conference of the District Directorate of Health Services.

The conference served as a platform to evaluate the performance of health workers in the district, share ideas on the successes and failures of the district health directorate in order to come out with realistic strategies to improve service delivery. She announced that skilled deliveries in the district increased from 288 in 2008 to 373 in 2009, registering a 25.3 per cent rise. However, total deliveries declined from 1,516 in 2008 to 1,208 in 2009, a trend that has been attributed to the increase in the acceptance of family planning services in the district.

The District health director bemoaned the high prevalence of HIV/AIDs in the district and advised the youth to be cautious in the choice of sexual partners, adding that they should go for voluntary counselling and testing to know their status. She identified the low level of community participation and support at the grassroots, inadequate staffing, the lack of residential structures for health personnel, especially a bungalow for the resident medical doctor, as some of the challenges confronting the Directorate. Mr. Robert Wavei, District Chief Executive, pledged the support of the District Assembly towards the improvement of health delivery in the district.