Health Directorate worries about low uptake of family planning

Low patronage of family planning methods in the Asokore Mampong Municipality, has left health authorities worried about its implications on population growth.

Records at the Municipal Health Directorate showed that the acceptor rate of family planning among eligible persons in 2019 was only 6.7 per cent.

The Reverend Solomon Anum Doku, the Municipal Health Director who made this known, said the situation called for stakeholder engagement to encourage citizens to embrace family planning to improve reproductive health in the Municipality.

Speaking at the 2019 annual performance review at Asokore Mampong, Mr. Doku said the Directorate as part of its key priority areas for improvement in 2020, was targeting 12 per cent coverage.

This year’s performance review, which was on the theme: “Ensuring Healthy Lives and Promoting Well-being for all at all Ages in Asokore Mampong Municipality, was attended by health workers, community volunteers and selected heads of decentralized departments.

The Municipal Director said the Directorate would not only intensify the campaign for family planning this year but general medical care including antenatal, immunization as well as disease surveillance and response.

He further announced the Directorate’s resolve to ensure zero maternal death, reduce stillbirth and increase skilled delivery from 10.7 to 15 per cent in 2020.

He appealed to the Municipal Assembly to upgrade the Sepe Dote Health Center to a polyclinic and also build new health centres at Aboabo and Asabi, densely-populated suburbs to make healthcare more accessible.

Mr. Doku said efforts were being made to ensure that all public health facilities in the Municipality had emergency units for a prompt response to cases.

He expressed regret about the lack of a government hospital in the Municipality which, he said, was contributing to the referral of most cases to facilities outside the Municipality and called on the government to take urgent step to address the problem.

Alhaji Alidu Seidu, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) applauded the health workers for their sacrifices in providing healthcare to the people in the face of the numerous challenges.

He said the assembly was committed to addressing the health needs of the people and would continue to support the Health Directorate to deliver quality healthcare to the people.