Introduction

The Ministry of Health (MOH) at the Assembly Level operates a three-tier service delivery in the area of both curative and preventive medicine. These services are delivered at community, Sub¬District and  levels. Aside the MOH facilities, there are a number of private, mission, or mines health institutions which render services in the municipality.

Health Infrastructure and Services Delivery

The infrastructure of health and services delivery system of the district consists of 1  hospital at Asamankese, 3 health centres at Asamankese, Adeiso and Osenase and 6 health posts/MCH at Abamkrom, Mepom, Odumkyere, Darmang, Kwoabeah, Bonsu, and Danso. There are 3 private maternity clinics at Asamankese, Adeiso and Abamkrom, 2 homoepathy clinics at Asamankese, 1 herbal clinic at Oworam arid over 72 traditional Birth Attendants and Healers. The municipal hospital has two doctors assisted by two (2) Cuban Doctors .

The Nurse Population ratio is also relatively unfavorable - 1 :3,426 as against the national figure of 1:900. With only 60 bed, the bed/population ratio of 2570 is also highly inadequate for the health needs in the district. In addition to the doctors and nurses there are 3 dispensing technicians.

The majority of diseases recorded  are preventable, with malaria featuring prominently as the number one cause of both mortality and morbidity. Another emerging concern is the increasing cases of HIV IAIDS and tuberculosis. This situation suggests that more effort has to be directed at health education to address these concerns .

Health Facilities In The Municipality

There are twelve health facilities . These are:

1.The Government/ Hospital at Asamankese and the Asamankese RCH

2.  Adeiso Health Centre

3. Osenase Centre

4. Mepom RCH

5. Abamkrom RCH

6. Brekumanso RCH

7. Asekasu CHIP Compound

8. Breman CHIP Compound

Sub-Districts

It is divided into six sub-districts. These are:

1. Adeiso

2. Osenase

3. Asamankese

4. Mepom

5. Abamkrom

6. Brekumanso

Public Health Services Surveillance

These include surveillance activities with emphasis on integrated disease surveillance and response  with reference to data collection, analysis and interpretation of reports from health institutions and Community Based Disease Surveillance Workers (CBSW) who report on notable disease like cholera, measles, meningitis neonatal tetanus, yellow fever and Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP)

Trend of Notable Diseases, 2003-2005

Source: Ministry of Health, Asamankese, 2005

Tuberculosis Cohort analyses for the, 2004-2005

Selected Indicator

2004 Perf. (%)

2005 Target(%)

Target Achieved 2004 (%)

Target Achieved 2005 (%)

Target Achieved 2004 (%)

Source: Ministry of Health, Asamankese, 2005

Existing HIV/AIDS Situation

The West Akim Health Administration intensified its campaign against the upsurge of HIV/AIDS in the municipality, involving the  Assembly, Churches, CBOs, etc, communities were educated on how to live and support people living with HIV/AIDS. The table below shows the institutional data on persons with the HIV/AIDS virus, but does not give the accurate picture of the HN/AIDS situation as the Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) intake has not been encouraging.

HIV/AIDS CASES. 2003-2005

Year     Male    Female

2003     13         18

2004     12         14

2005     21         22

Sources: Ministry of Health Report, Asamankese, 2006

National Immunization Day

National Immunization Day, Second Phase 2006

Target 0-59 Month

Source: Ministry of Health Report, Asamankese, 2006

Immunization Performance on Antigens, 2004

Ministry of Health Report, Asamankese, 2006

Maternal Delivery Rate, 2003-2005

Selected Indicators

Currently, the identity cards in use are valid for only one year. Therefore, the Scheme has decided to introduce a new identity card, which would be in a booklet form. This form of I.D. card would have sections for client’s personal data for at least five (5) years usage. It will be for Renewal of Policy, facility utilization and extracts of the benefit package. Total Hospital attendances by Patients from January to June was eleven thousand, six hundred and thirteen (11 ,613) people.

Maternal and Child Health (MCH) / Family  Planning (FP) Activities The main activities of the Unit carried out in  are geared toward child survival and development and the health of mothers. Ante-natal Clinic is a component of health delivery in the district recorded coverage of 80% in 2002.

Immunization activities are held daily in the Hospital and health centre in the district. In addition to this bi-weekly/monthly outreach clinics are held by the mobile team in the smaller settlements to attend to mothers and children.

Causes of Consultation/ Death Prevalence/Causes of Admission

On the incidence of diseases , as obtained from the Municipal Hospital, malaria topped the list with 5947 cases constituting 51 % Of all reported diseases. This was followed with URTI with 1300 constituting 11 %, Accident 901% constituting 7.7%, and Diarrhea with 802 cases constituting 6.8 %.

TOP 10 CAUSES OF CONSULTATION

No. Disease

1     Malaria

2     Infection

3     Accident (Home)

4     Diarrhoea

5     Road Accident

6     Intestinal Worm

7     Sin Dis./Wears

8     Hypertension

9     Acute Eye WF

10   Anaemia

Source: Asamankese Government Hospital, 2006

Geographically, malaria is prevalent in the whole municipality. Cases of Bilharzia and Tuberculosis are prevalent as whole.

Table 2.19 and 2.20 reveal the Top ten cases of death and administration respectively.

The survey also revealed that Anemia constituted 38.6% of reported deaths , while Septicemia 18.8%, Heart failure, and Diarrhoea constitute 6.9% each. Table 1.26 shows the top ten causes of death in West Akim .

Nutrition

The nutrition division collaborates with the medical care and MCH/FP staff in educating patients and attendants at the out-patient department, child welfare clinic, Ante-Natal and outreach clinics. At the clinic, mothers are educated on the importance of exclusive breast feeding, diet during pregnancy and the importance of growth monitoring and its interpretation in malnourished children. Inadequate personnel and logistics have hampered high coverage of nutritional activities in the district.

High Incidence of Malaria

In view of the fact that malaria tops the Top Ten Cases of outpatient department (OPD) attendance, admissions and death, much emphasis have been focused on educating the public on good sanitation, reconstruction of drains desilting of existing choked gutters and weeding of environs. Attention must also be focused on strengthening the Roll back malaria programme and promote the use of impregnated bed-nets.