Mr Stephen Bordotsiah, the Bolgatanga Municipal Director of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) in the Upper East Region, has emphasized the need for effective partnership to promote efficient healthcare delivery systems.
He has therefore called for collaboration among stakeholders, saying “Effective partnerships remained the cornerstone of an efficient health system, and I encourage active participation from all.”
Mr Bordotsiah was speaking on the theme: “Network of Practice, our sure bet to achieving Universal Health Coverage,” at the 2024 annual health performance review meeting of the Directorate.
The meeting offered them the opportunity to take stock of their activities in key health indicators and strategize to improve their performance in subsequent years.
It attracted Health Directors, medical officers, and officials from the Regional Health Directorate, the Municipal office of the National Health Insurance Authority, the Ghana National Ambulance Service, and representatives from private healthcare facilities in the Municipality among other stakeholders.
On the Municipality’s performance in the various health indicators, the Director disclosed a decline in teenage pregnancy from 12.3 per cent in 2021 to 8.4 per cent in 2024.
He said there was continues decline in Ante-Natal Care (ANC) coverage from 83.9 percent in 2022, 77.5 per cent in 2023 and 70 per cent in 2024, adding that the trend was also observed in skilled delivery, as it declined from 93.9 percent in 2022 to 89 percent in 2024.
With institutional maternal mortality ratio, Mr Bordotsiah said the indicator worsened from 175.4/100,000 live births in 2022 to 314/100,000 live births in 2024 and insisted that “We need to critically examine the situation to reverse the trend”.
The Director said, “Case notification rates increased from 116.8 percent in 2022 to 129.2 percent in 2024, and our treatment success rate saw a slight decrease from 97.6 percent to 93.1 percent in 2023”.
He said two cases of Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) were detected in 2022, three in 2023 and four in the year under review, while three meningitis cases were recorded in 2022, two in 2023 and nine with one death in 2024.
He further indicated that there were consistent increases in suspected cases of measles from 13 in 2022, to 18 cases in 2023 and 44 with a confirmed case in 2024, “Our Pent three vaccine coverage increased from 83.2 percent in 2022, to 88.4 per cent in 2023 and 99.6 per cent in 2024”.
Mr Bordotsiah said during the year under review, Management of the Directorate renovated the Municipal Office, completed an operation theatre at the Bolgatanga Health Centre, with a functioning laboratory at Sokabisi, while construction works on the Sumbrungu Health Centre was ongoing.
“I extend my heartfelt appreciation to all our dedicated healthcare professionals and stakeholders who have worked tirelessly throughout the past year. Your commitment and sacrifices have significantly contributed to the health and well-being of our communities,” the Director said.
GNA