This year’s Yendi Health Directorate Mid-Year Performance Review Meeting has been held at Yendi in the Yendi Municipality of Northern Region.

Mrs Denisa Agong Kaara, Municipal Director of Health Services, noted that inadequate staffing with high demand for transfers outside the area coupled with a large number of personnel on study leave are the challenges that hinder smooth delivery of health services.

She said there is also no funding for the Polio National Immunisation Day and Human Papilloma Virus among other diseases.

Mrs Kaara said out of 22 demarcated CHPS zones, only three have compounds, and as a result large number of the population have to travel more than eight kilometres to access health care.

She said despite the challenges, the health directorate has chalked out success in reproductive and child health.

She said there is an increase in skilled delivery, antenatal, family planning and post-natal registrations.

Mrs Kaara said maternal and neonatal deaths also reduced as well as Out-Patient Department (OPD) attendance.

She said under capacity building training on maternal/neonatal care, mother to mother support groups to enhance maternal and child services took place during the period under review.

Mr Zakaria Yakubu, Municipal Health Service Administrator announced that malaria is the number one cause of morbidity and mortality at Yendi Hospital.

He said it accounts for 43 per cent of OPD attendance, 40.8 per cent of admissions and 17.6 per cent of deaths.

Mr Yakubu said malaria is preventable if the people clean their environment and sleep under insecticide treated nets.

He said GHc14,590 was used in training 48 staff of the hospital in order to improve on their skills.