The Amansie West District Health Directorate of the Ghana Health Service has reported gains in maternal healthcare delivery, even as cases of hypertension, diabetes and HIV continue to rise in the district.
Speaking at the district’s Annual Performance Review and Staff Awards Ceremony, the District Health Director, Bernard Badu Bediako, highlighted both achievements and emerging concerns within the health sector.
According to him, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) remain a growing concern in the district.
“In the year under review, diabetes mellitus accounted for 3.8 percent of all Out-Patient Department (OPD) cases, while hypertension constituted 5.6 percent, both figures higher than those recorded the previous year,” he disclosed
The district plans to intensify community engagement and public education on lifestyle modification to help reduce the incidence of these conditions.
“We are going to engage the community through public education to curb the rate of these NCDs,” the Health Director assured.
The district recorded 182 new HIV cases during the period under review, with women accounting for 136 of the cases.
Mr. Bediako described the trend as worrying and said authorities are working with stakeholders to address the situation.
Malaria cases among non-pregnant persons also increased. However, malaria in pregnancy reduced; a development health officials attribute to strengthened maternal health interventions.
Despite staffing constraints and logistical challenges, the district recorded notable improvements in maternal health outcomes.
More than 70 percent of pregnant women reported to antenatal care within their first trimester, while 78 percent completed at least four antenatal visits before delivery.
Skilled delivery coverage improved from 46 percent to nearly 50 percent.
Most importantly, the district recorded no maternal mortality within its network of practice during the review period.
“The success in maternal health is as a result of a collaborative model that encourages health facilities within sub-districts to work together rather than operate in isolation. A flagship initiative dubbed “Operation Visit the Pregnant Women in Your Community,” launched on January 28, 2025, also contributed to the improved outcomes,” he said.
Under the programme, health workers visited pregnant women at home and at their workplaces, engaged their spouses, identified those who had defaulted on antenatal care, and linked them back to health facilities.
The team also tracked children who had missed vaccinations and reconnected them to child welfare clinics.
“As a district, we moved into the communities to identify pregnant women who had not been attending ANC and linked them to care,” Mr. Bediako explained.
The district currently operates with a total staff strength of 182; fewer than the workforce of some single hospitals in Kumasi. It has fewer than 30 midwives across all government facilities, a situation the Director described as “woefully inadequate.”
Poor road networks also continue to hamper access to healthcare services in parts of the district.
Despite these challenges, Mr. Bediako commended staff for their dedication and commitment.
For 2026, the district has adopted the theme “Good Stewardship,” with a renewed focus on responsive, respectful, and compassionate care, while strengthening collaboration among health facilities to improve access and quality service delivery.
With limited staff but renewed determination, health authorities in Amansie West say strong community partnerships will be critical to sustaining the gains made and addressing emerging health threats.
Outstanding health workers were also honoured for their exceptional performance during the year under review.
By Ibrahim Abubakar
