Tema, Jan 27, GNA -- The Tema Metropolis in 2008 recorded no incident of cholera outbreak among the Out- Patient Departments (OPDs) cases attended to at the various health facilities. The Directorate recorded a total of 348,116 OPD attendances of which malaria cases topped. The total OPD attendance were from the Tema General Hospital, Tema Polyclinic, Kpone health centre and the Tema Manhean health centre as well as 84 private health facilities in the metropolis registered with the Directorate.

Mr Harvey Akafu, Tema Health Information Officer told the Ghana News Agency in an interview that the cholera record was achieved through their intensive education programmes. Mr Akafu noted that even though the environmental issues in the metropolis have not changed, most residents have embraced the education on washing hands with soap.

To maintain the record this year, he encouraged residents to educate their relatives and peers on the need to wash hands with soap before eating and after visiting the wash room. The health information officer further urged food vendors to prepare and sell their food in hygienic condition, while advising against eating of cold food.

Comparing the OPD records to previous ones, he said even though the Directorate recorded a total of 617,342 in 2007, it would be wrong to admit there has been a decrease since the previous records included that of Ashaiman, which is now a municipality.

He gave the top ten cases in 2008 as, malaria - 39,372, Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI) - 13,534, hypertension - 13,315, skin diseases and ulcers - 7,417.

The rest were rheumatism and joint pains - 5,495, diabetes - 5,243, acute eye infections - 4691, aneamia - 4,134, intestinal worms - 3,809 and dental caries - 3,222.

Mr Akafu said the metropolis recorded a total of 110,313 malaria cases, 56,765 hypertension cases and 41,782 ARI in 2007. On the number of HIV/AIDS cases recorded, he said out of 4,425 pregnant women tested under the 'Prevention From Mother To Child Transmission' (PMTCT), 181 were HIV positive in 2008 while 150 out of 3,194 tested were positive in 2007.

He explained that under the PMTCT, it was mandatory for every pregnant woman to be tested for HIV/AIDS to enable the unborn baby to be protected, should the mother test positive. 27 Jan. 09