Maternal Mortality Contained In Techiman Municipality

The Techiman Municipal Health Directorate in the Brong-Ahafo Region has recorded a significant reduction in maternal mortality cases in 2018, Madam Florence Iddrisa, the Municipal Director of Health Services has said.

Mad. Iddrisa was speaking at the 2018 annual performance review meeting of the Directorate in Techiman, saying that maternal mortality rate in the Municipality declined from 258.8/100,000 live births in 2017 to 116.6/100,000 in 2018.

The meeting on the theme 'Achieving Universal Health Coverage-The Role of the Health Worker' was attended by staff of the Directorate, representatives of public and private health providers in the Municipality and other stakeholders including traditional rulers and the security services.

It provided a platform to review the 2018 activities and achievements of the Directorate and identify ways to further improve upon health service delivery in the Municipality.

Touching on other health indicators during the year under review, the Municipal Director of Health Services stated that skilled deliveries increased by 4.2% while Ante-natal care increased by 2.2%.

According to Mad. Iddrisa, the Municipality recorded increase in Family Planning acceptor rate, immunisation and vitamin 'A' supplement coverage.

She however, raised concerns about the decline in outpatient service utilisation, increase in neo-natal and still birth rates and the increasing low patronage of healthcare services in the suburban and rural areas of the Municipality.

On challenges facing the healthcare system in the Municipality, Mad. Iddrisa mentioned poor flow of funds, inadequate supply of logistics for disease surveillance, lack of accommodation for health workers among others.

She therefore appealed to stakeholders to support the Directorate to improve upon the healthcare delivery system in the Municipality and also pleaded with government to upgrade the Techiman Polyclinic to a hospital status.

Mr. John Kofi Donyina, the Municipal Chief Executive for Techiman announced that government had planned to give Techiman a phase lift to become a modern city.

He said the move would include the modernisation of the Municipality's healthcare infrastructure and that of other sectors.

Mr. Donyina praised the health workers in the Municipality for their dedication and spirit of hard work and assured of government's continuous support for the sector.

---GNA