Ghana Health Service pilots verbal autopsy project in Bongo

The Ghana Health Service (GHS) with funding from the Bloomberg Data for Health Initiative (BDHI) has launched a one year maiden Verbal Autopsy project in the Bongo District of the Upper East Region.

The Verbal Autopsy project will deploy the use of the World Health Organization Verbal Autopsy Questionnaire to collect data on all deaths  in households’ other than at the health centers.

Speaking to Citi News in Bolgatanga, Country Director of Verbal Autopsy at the GHS Policy Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Division Mr. Francis Yeji said, Verbal Autopsy which use to be done at only research centers in the country will be piloted in the Bongo District.

According to him, health workers in all the 36 CHIPS centers in Bongo will be given equipment and with support from over 26 volunteers register deaths that occurred in homes.

Mr. Yeji said, the exercise which commences from Monday, February 27,2017 is aimed at helping medical officers ascertain the causes of  deaths in the district for early  health interventions and also assist in strategic planning and policy.

Verbal Autopsy has become necessary because of limited data of deaths occurring within communities coupled with Ghana’s death registration coverage of 30%.

“we have 30% of deaths occur in health facilities which enables medical officers  ascertain the real cause of deaths but 70% of deaths occur within the communities, making it difficult to figure out the cause of majority of deaths. This makes it difficult for disease prevention planning, resource distribution and prevention of new diseases.

So we will go to the homes of any deceased in the communities and seek information from their close relatives who were with the deceased at the time leading to their death for physical and other symptoms to ascertain the possible cause of death.”

Mr. Yeji appealed to traditional leaders and community members to support the project by reporting any death within the community to either the volunteers or health workers for the success of the project.

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By: Frederick Awuni/citifmonline.com/Ghana