The North East Regional Health Directorate of Ghana held its 2024 performance review meeting to discuss healthcare progress. Key topics included challenges in health infrastructure, slight declines in OPD attendance and deliveries, but improvements in antenatal care and maternal mortality. The meeting highlighted ongoing partnerships and government support for healthcare development initiatives.
The North East Regional Directorate of the Ghana Health Service convened its 2024 annual performance review meeting in Nalerigu, themed “Rational Management of Health Workforce towards Achieving Quality Universal Health Coverage.” The two-day event engaged stakeholders from health sectors, including local and international partners such as KOICA, UNICEF, and CRS, to evaluate achievements and challenges, proposing solutions for enhanced performance in the upcoming year.
Dr. Braimah Abubakari Baba, North East Regional Director of GHS, highlighted ongoing progress in healthcare delivery, specifically concerning the Health Sector Medium-Term Development Plan aimed at achieving Universal Health Coverage by 2030. Despite a minor decrease in Out-Patient Department attendance from 498,448 in 2023 to 484,444 in 2024, there was an increase in antenatal care registration from 40.6% to 42.3%. The Directorate aims to further improve these numbers through health education initiatives.
The total number of deliveries in the region decreased from 21,086 in 2023 to 20,553 in 2024; preliminary data indicated a reduction in the maternal mortality ratio from 51 to 48 per 100,000 live births. However, Dr. Baba raised concerns regarding stillbirth rates, which increased from 8.6% to 9.1%, and a notable rise in institutional neonatal mortality from four to six per 1,000 live births, a 29.8% increase.
Key challenges included incomplete health infrastructure which hampers quality healthcare delivery. The North East Region lacks a regional medical store, forcing reliance on the Northern Region for essential drug supplies. Mr. Ibrahim Tia, the North East Regional Minister, praised the Directorate’s efforts and reiterated the government’s commitment to supporting health initiatives.
Miss Myeongseon Kim, representing KOICA, expressed the Korean Government’s dedication to advancing healthcare in Ghana through various projects aimed at enhancing health security, reproductive health, and nutrition. She emphasized the importance of strengthening healthcare workforce capacities and enhancing community engagement to improve health outcomes in the region. The Overlord of the Mamprugu Traditional Area also lauded the GHS for its efforts and underscored the necessity of maintaining peace for successful healthcare delivery.
The North East Regional Directorate’s performance review highlighted both achievements and challenges in healthcare delivery. Improvements in antenatal care and a decrease in maternal mortality are promising developments, although rising stillbirth and neonatal mortality rates require urgent attention. The Collaborative support from various partners and governmental commitment are crucial to ensuring continued progress toward Universal Health Coverage by 2030.
Original Source: gna.org.gh
