Nkwanta (V/R), March 7, GNA- The Nkwanta District Hospital recorded a reduction in deliveries in 2006 down to 336 from 423 in 2005. Dr Koku Awoonor-Williams District Director of Health made this known to the Ghana News Agency at Nkwanta.

He said out of the 336 deliveries 260 were normal while 76 were through caesarean section and while 170 of the babies born during the period were boys, 166 were girls.

The period recorded three maternal deaths due to delay in seeking medical help, Dr Awonor-Williams said.

He said there were 3,932 and 606 antenatal and postnatal attendances respectively at the hospital during the period under review. Dr Awoonor said 463 children were on admission at the hospital in 2006 due to malaria attack, in contrast with 416 in 2005. He said out of a total of 25 children under five years who died at the hospital during the period 14 of them died as a result of malaria, and seven due to anaemia.

A total of 310 cases were handled at the Ears Nose and Throat (ENT) unit in 2006 as against 371 cases in 2005 while 669 psychiatric cases were handled in 2006.

He said 5,068 eye screening cases had been carried out in 2006, 4,286 of them during an outreach programme and 786 at the hospital, including 128 eye surgeries mostly involving cataract. Malaria, anaemia, snakebite, hepatitis B and upper respiratory tract infections make up the five leading causes of death in the district, Dr Awoonor-Williams said.

During the period under review 101 people tested positive for HIV/AIDS during blood screening while 85 other tested positive for hepatitis B. Dr Awoonor-Williams said indications were that people were not adhering to the advice to either abstain from sex, to be faithful their partners or use condoms when having sex.