Rapid Diagnostic Test potent to ascertain malaria cases- GHS

Mr Kwame Quandahor of the Policy Planning Monitoring and Evaluation Division of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), has advocated the use of the Rapid Diagnostic Test to ascertain malaria cases reported in the country’s health facilities. Speaking at the Annual Performance Review meeting of health facilities at Apam in the Gomoa West Region of the Central Region, he said almost all health facilities in the country had made malaria the leading disease reported at their facilities. He expressed doubt about how the medical authorities were able to arrive at such a conclusion, explaining that there were a lot of diseases which manifested as feverish conditions. Mr Quandahor said maternal mortality was the major concern of the GHS as the 450 deaths per 1,000 births was too high. He noted that 90 per cent of government subvention to the GHS went into payment of salaries, leaving only 10 per cent for administrative work. Dr Yaw Ofori Yeboah, District Director of Health Service said inadequate health workers was thwarting health delivery in the area. He said teenage pregnancy was common in the district, especially at Mumford, Dago and Apam. The District Director said hypertension was also on the increase and urged the people to reduce salt intake to prevent the medical phenomenon. Dr Yeboah commended the District Assembly for its contribution to health delivery. Mrs Augusta Akyaa Sarpong, District Director of Education expressed concern about defilement cases in the district and cautioned against the settlement of such criminal acts at home. She appealed to the chiefs and queen mothers in the area to form abstinence clubs in schools as a measure to prevent the spread of HIV. Mr Alex Gyimah, District Co-ordinator of the National Youth Employment Programme said the programme had trained 450 health assistants locally to support health delivery. Mr Frank Amankrah, Community Development Officer said Gomoa and Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa District were leading in HIV cases in the Central Region. Obrifo Ahunako Ahor Ankobea II, Omanhen of Gomoa Akyempim said the Year-of –Action declared by President John Evans Atta Mills enjoined the citizens to be healthy to enable them to meet the challenge. In a speech read on his behalf, Mr Theophilus Aidoo-Mensah, District Chief Executive called on Ghanaians to change their attitude to health and endeavour to wash their hands with soap after attending toilet or returning from work. He said the assembly had established five Community Health and Planning Services Zones and was in the process of creating additional zones.