Kumasi, Aug 8, GNA - The Kumasi Metropolitan Directorate of Health Services recorded 60 maternal deaths between January and June as against 50 deaths within the same period in 2006.

The Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) recorded 58 deaths and Suntreso Government Hospital recorded two.

Dr Joseph Oduro, Kumasi Metropolitan Director of Health Services, said this at a half-year performance review meeting of the Directorate in Kumasi on Tuesday.

The meeting, attended by medical officers, nurses and other health personnel, aimed at evaluating its performances and adopt effective strategies to improve health delivery in the metropolis. Dr Oduro attributed the causes of maternal deaths to severe anaemia, septic abortion, renal failure, severe malaria and others and appealed to the health personnel to educate pregnant mothers on the need to attend ante-natal care at all times.

He said uncomplicated malaria was still leading among the 10 top diseases and that the Directorate recorded 151,452 cases representing 52.9 per cent from January to June as against 107,495 cases representing 46 per cent within the same period last year.

Some 13,195 cases of hypertension were recorded as against 11,312 within the same period whiles 2,355 cases of skin diseases and ulcers were also recorded.

Dr Oduro said some of the challenges facing the directorate was inadequate funds, transport and poor infrastructure in most hospitals and health centres and appealed to the government to address such problems.

He said the way forward for the Directorate was to increase its Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI), strengthen its facilities and supervision to increase tuberculosis (TB) care detector rate.

He advised the health personnel to work harder and adopt effective strategies to improve health delivery in the metropolis. Dr Kwabena Opoku Adusei, Medical Superintendent at the Suntreso Government Hospital, appealed to the National Health Insurance Council (NHIC) to put the necessary structures in place to ensure the success of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).