Accra-Ghana, Aug. 28, GNA – The Greater Accra Region has recorded a 4.3 per cent increase in Out-Patient Department (OPD) attendance.
The Regional Health Directorate said the cases increased from 2,562,123 in the first of 2022 to 2,673,346 in the same period in 2023.
Out of the total OPD attendance for the period, malaria continues to be one of the leading causes of admissions whilst pneumonia and hypertension disease are ranked as the leading causes of death in the region.
Other diseases recorded include diabetes, urinary tract infections, and typhoid fever.
Dr Mrs Charity Sarpong, the Greater Accra Regional Director of Health Services, said this during the 2023 Greater Accra Regional Mid-Year Performance Review meeting.
The mid-year performance review offers the opportunity to critically assess outputs for the first six months of the year and to address shortfalls identified towards promoting healthy outcomes.
It was on the theme: “Addressing Healthcare Delivery Gaps for Equity in Health Coverage Through Intensifying Health Promotion Interventions, Optimizing the use of Data and Technology to Improve Access to Quality Care, and Strengthening Preventive and Control Measures for Emergent and Re-emergent Public Health Events”.
Dr Sarpong assured that the region would continue to deploy resources equitably to all districts for effective health delivery.
She said despite successes achieved over the period the Directorate was faced with the challenge of permanent office accommodation.
Mr Henry Quartey, the Greater Accra Regional Minister in a speech read on his behalf, said the increase in OPD attendance meant more clients were patronising and registering under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to access healthcare in the public facilities.
He urged the Health Directorate to adopt pragmatic strategies that the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) could support to help address health challenges, especially llifestyle diseases.
