Health News of Monday, 31 July 2006

Source: GNA

No maternal death at Begoro Hospital

Begoro (E/R), July 31, GNA- The Begoro District Hospital in the Fanteakwa District has maintained a record of no maternal deaths for the second year running with only one doctor at post.

The Acting District Director of Health services, Ms Margaret Asare, made this known at a mid-year performance review meeting of health workers at Begoro on Thursday.

Ms Asare commended the staff of the hospital for their vigilance and commitment to work, leading to the zero maternal death record. She called on the Ghana Health Service (GHS) to post an additional Medical Officer to the hospital to assist the doctor at post. Ms Asare expressed concern at the low supervised delivery at health centres in the district and attributed the situation to pregnant women preferring to deliver at home and with Traditional Birth attendants (TBA) even though they attend antenatal clinics regularly. Ms Asare said so far, 1,211 pregnant women were using insecticide treated mosquito nets in the district.

The Medical Officer of the hospital, Dr Kofi Ablor, said malaria cases in the district had reduced drastically due to the patronage of the treated nets.

Dr Ablor said only three malaria related deaths had been recorded since the beginning of the year.