Saltpond (C/R), Feb. 1, GNA - The Mfantseman District Directorate of the Ghana Health Services (GHS) has held its annual meeting to review its performance for 2006 and adopt strategies to overcome its shortcomings.

Addressing the meeting, Mr Samuel Sosi, District Director, noted that malaria continued to be the leading health menace in the District, followed by diarrhoea related diseases and diseases of the skin. Mr Sosi said the leading diseases indicated that environmental and personal sanitation had not been given serious attention in the District.

He noted that but for a near outbreak of cholera in some parts of the District and some complaints about the attitude of some health personnel towards the clients of the District Mutual Health Insurance Scheme, the District's performance for the year under review was encouraging.

Mr Sosi warned that he would not defend any personnel who would sabotage the Health Insurance Scheme and those who by-pass the Regional Medical Stores to buy drugs from the wayside. The safety of drugs bought outside the Regional Medical Stores could not be guaranteed and cautioned that anyone caught would be severely punished.

Mr Francis Zuradam Saareson, District Disease Control Officer, said 530 cases of cholera were recorded in 2006 as against one each in 2004 and 2005.

There was on case of meningitis as against zero in 2004 and 2005. Measles - 25 as against 49 and 63 in 2005 and 2004 respectively. He said 152,796 malaria cases were recorded as against 99,771 in 2005 and 124,188 to 165 in 2005. TB cases reduced from 175 in 2004 to 165 in 2005 and 112 in 2006 HIV/AIDS cases rose from 46 in 2006 to 97 in 2006.

Miss Mavis Narh, District Public Health Nurse, said the District recorded 1,244 teenage pregnancies as against 986 in 2005 and 1,026 in 2004.

Family planning acceptance shot up from 10,346 in 2005 to 12,797 in 2006. Supervised delivery from 4,288 in 2005 to 5,942 in 2006 and post-natal care rose from 4,288 in 2005 to 4,600 in 2006. She said maternal deaths reduced from five in 2005 to four in 2006. Mr Hayford Frimpong, Saltpond Government Hospital Administrator said the hospital recorded 21,330 OPD cases as against 19,085 in 2005, Admissions increased from 5,041 in 2005 to 5,288 in 2006 and deaths recorded increased from 264 in 2005 to 284 in 2006.