Sekyere West assembly allocates 120 million cedis for health care

Mampong (Ash), Aug 18, GNA - The Sekyere West District Assembly in the Ashanti region has allocated 120 million cedis out of its share of the Assemblies Common Fund to support the implementation of various health programmes this year.

Seventy-six million cedis has been set aside to support the district's health insurance scheme, 25 million cedis for HIV/AIDS activities and 20 million cedis for the Roll Back Malaria Programme. Apart from that, 20 million cedis would be used to sponsor trainee nurses while 15 million cedis would be spent on the Expanded Programme of Immunisation (EPI).

Mr Kwasi Atakorah, District Co-ordinating Director, disclosed this when he addressed the half-year review meeting of the District Health Management Team (DHMT) at Asante-Mampong on Thursday. He said in view of the need to expand access to health care in the district, the assembly was also prepared to support the building of Community-based Health Planning Services Centres (CHPS) in remote rural communities.

Mr Atakorah reminded the DHMT to use the meeting to brainstorm on how they could improve upon their performance. He congratulated health workers for accepting postings to rural communities and urged them to rededicate themselves to their professional callings.

Madam Rebecca Dokurugu, the acting District Director of Health Services, announced that the district recorded one maternal death during the period under review as against four deaths for last year. She said immunisation against measles went up by 2.4 per cent while BCG coverage, which protect children against tuberculosis (TB) also increased by 14 per cent within the first part of the year. Madam Dokurugu indicated that as a result of various interventions, no cases of measles, cerebral spinal meningitis (CSM) and leprosy have been recorded.

As part of the safe motherhood initiative, the acting District Director of Health told the meeting that chiefs, Queen Mothers and opinion leaders were sensitised to solicit their support to reduce the incidence of maternal health complications and disability. She said the District Health Administration also organised in-service training on Emergency Obstetric Care (EMOC) for 40 private and public midwives. Madam Dokurugu appealed to the district assembly for funds to maintain and equip the Jediako CHPS Centre. 18 Aug. 06