Lack of gynaecologists contributing to maternal mortality in Oti – Health Director

Dr Osei Kuffour Affreh, the Oti Regional Director of Health Services, has attributed the high maternal mortality in the area to the lack of permanent obstetric specialists in the health facilities.

He said health service delivery in the region continued to be challenged by inadequate infrastructure at levels of service provision, while the absence of adequate numbers of critical health professionals such as gynaecologists were hindering healthcare delivery in the Oti Region.

He called for conscious efforts by key players to improve healthcare infrastructure and design appreciative packages to attract key health personnel to the area.

Dr Affreh, who was speaking during the 2023 annual performance review meeting held at Jasikan-Nsuta in the Buem Municipality of the Volta Region, appealed for more gynaecologists to improve healthcare delivery.

The two-day review programme was on the theme: “Achieving Universal Healthcare through the Network of Practice Approach”.

The region’s performance for the 2023 holistic assessment results saw a marginal improvement from 3.9 to 3.8 in 2022 placing her in the upper quintile of a moderately performed region, he said.

The percentage of deliveries attended to by trained health workers decreased marginally from 62.1 per cent in 2023 to 62.8 per cent in 2022.

He highlighted some contributions during the year under review where he acknowledged the constant support by the Korea International Foundation for Healthcare (KOFIH) to improve healthcare in the region.

He talked about Health infrastructure, provision of equipment, capacity building in terms of in-service training and overseas training with funding from KOFIH, a Non-Governmental Organisation.

Projects awarded on contract under the Foundation had been completed and furnished with equipment, water and solar system.

These include Community Health Planning Service (CHPS) compound at Ngawoe in the Krachi Nchumuru District and Amewoyikpoe in Krachi West Municipality, as well as expansion of theatre and recovery ward at Krachi West Municipal Hospital.

Others were the renovation of Grubi Health Centre and staff accommodation at Krachi Nchumuru District, and construction of staff accommodation and maternity block at Chantai.

Source: GNA