MAMPONG HEALTH ISSUES

      Cases of infant mortalityrecorded at the Asante Mampong Government hospital reduced from 11 deaths in 2013 to four deaths in 2014.Incidence of maternal deaths and still births also reduced in the hospital last year. Hypertension-related illnesses and abortion accounted for the number of maternal deaths and infant mortality recorded at the hospital. The Medical Superintendent of the hospital, Dr. Nyarko-Jecteyannounced this at a performance review meeting of the hospital for 2014 at Asante Mampong.He appealed to government to make more funds available to the National Health Insurance Scheme in order to ensure a sustained quality health care delivery at the hospital. According to Dr. Nyarko-Jectey, majority of clients who visit the hospital are NHIS card bearing members, but for five months now the health facility has not been reimbursed monies owed it as claims under the National Health Insurance Scheme. He said the average cost of the hospital monthly electricity bill stood at 12 thousand Ghana Cedis last year. The facility also incurred expenses to the tune of 92 thousand, 609 Ghana Cedis in respect of the purchase of fuel for its generators due to the energy crisis. Dr. Nyarko-Jectey explained that the hospital depends on its Internally Generated Funds as the only source of revenue, hence the need for staff to be proactive in attracting more clients especially to the OPD. The Administrator of the hospital, Collins Kesse, expressed worry about activities of land developers who have encroached on the hospital’s land and called on stakeholders to urgently address the issue.