HIV/AIDS, major killer in Jaman South

Drobo (B/A) May 17, GNA - Mr. Raphael Dacura Dagoe, Jaman South District Director of Health Service has expressed grave concern about the alarming increase of HIV/AIDS related deaths in the district.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency on Tuesday, the District Director said HIV/AIDS topped all other diseases in patient mortality cases last year.

Giving the statistics of death cases of AIDS as compared to the rest of diseases, Dr. Dagoe explained that out of the total of 122 deaths recorded at health centres in the district in the year under review, 35 patients, representing 28.6 percent, died of the pandemic. He expressed regret that seven out of the 28 people who donated blood were HIV/AIDS positive, which he said, was quite alarming, as compared to the national figure.

Dr. Dagoe said hypertension was the fastest increasing disease in the area, jumping from seventh place at a percentage rate of 2.8 percent in 2004, to the second position in 2005 at a rate of 5.3 percent. He disclosed that mortality rate with regard to cardiac failure due to hypertension shot up and advised the people to have constant medical check-ups.

Dr. Dagoe said the district health service had in that direction introduced a health walk programme to enable everyone to undertake crucial exercises to relieve them of heart attacks. He noted that malaria still recorded the highest cases of ill health, in terms of outpatient mobility cases, recording 60.2 percent of attendance at the Out-Patient Department (OPD). 17 May 06