The New Juaben South Municipal Health Director, Eunice Abuaku has revealed that shortage of critical staff such as midwives, technical officers, laboratory technicians, and dispensary officers, among others have been some of the major challenges that confront the New Juaben South Municipal Health Directorate in the Eastern Region.

Mrs. Abuaku who made the revelation at the 2022 Annual Municipal Performance Review, noted that the lack of health infrastructure in some communities and the absence of lab facilities in most of the sub-municipal health centres are affecting quality health delivery in the municipality.

She revealed that cases of malaria in the year under review reduced drastically in the municipality. Speaking on the theme, “Quality Improvement in Reproductive and Child Health Service, the Role of Stakeholders”, the Municipal Health Director noted that there has been low coverage of family planning and poor adolescent health service during the year under review and encouraged stakeholders to support the service to help improve upon the family planning coverage and reduce adolescent pregnancy in the municipality.

The New Juaben South Municipal Public Health Nurse, Edith Asiedua noted the year under review, saw high maternal deaths, high adolescent pregnancy and low family planning coverage which can be attributed to the myth and perception surrounding family planning.

Ms. Asiedua noted that to improve the low coverage of family planning and the high rate of adolescent pregnancy, the municipality health directorate organized community durbars and engagements to educate the citizens on the need for family planning and the reduction of teenage pregnancies.

The Chairman of the Programme and the MCE of New Juaben South, Isaac Appau-Gyasi noted that the municipality will continue to offer its support to ensure the provision of quality healthcare delivery to the public.

He added that the municipality is putting measures in place to construct a modern health facility for the people of Agavenya to enhance quality health delivery.