Rising cases of teenage pregnancy and abortion had become a major headache for health professionals in the Amansie West District.

The district recorded 3,000 teenage pregnancies and 619 cases of abortion – the highest figure in the Ashanti Region, last year.

Mr. Dominic Dorbin, the District Health Director, said this was being fueled by a thriving illegal gold mining industry.

The area is under massive invasion by illegal miners and with that has come increased social vices.

He was speaking at an annual health performance review meeting of the health directorate held at Manso-Nkwanta.

Mr Dorbin identified the growing number of still-births as the other serious challenge, saying that, there were 77 cases compared to the previous year’s total of 47.

He noted that these could have been reduced if women in labour had reported to the facilities early.

He complained about the lack of accommodation for health workers and transport, bad roads, inadequate funds and delay in insurance claims payment to the hospitals and said these were affecting the quality of health care delivery.

Mr. Alex Kwame Bonsu, the District Chief Executive (DCE), spoke of plans by the district assembly to build more Community Health Planning and Services (CHPS) Compounds to bring health care closer to the people.

Some feeder roads including the Ayiribikrom-Domi-Beposo, Kumpesi-Junction – Datano, Adubia-Agyagyekrom-Abori and Agroyesum-Yawkrom-Asaman are also been rehabilitated to allow for smooth transportation of the sick to the health facilities, he added.

Mrs Grace Addo, the Member of Parliament (MP), said apart from the purchase of ambulances for Essuowin and Manso-Nkwanta Health Centres, she had also supplied the Manso-Abori Health Centre with a water tank.