Neonatal deaths in the Bongo District of the Upper East Region reduced from 2.6 per 1000 live births in 2023 to 0.3 per 1000 live births in 2024, Ms Estella Abazesi, the District Director of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) said.

Speaking at the 2024 annual health performance review meeting of the District held in Bolgatanga, Ms Abazesi said stillbirths also decreased from 8.6 per 1000 live births to 6.2 per 1000 live births.

She said all stillbirths and neonatal deaths from the 2024 half-year were audited, lessons learnt, and recommendations shared on their labour room platform, to solicit actions from midwives for improved Ante-Natal Care (ANC) services and newborn management.

The review meeting offered the management of the GHS in the District the opportunity to take stock of their performance and strategise for the year 2025 and further presented them with the opportunity to foster collaboration among stakeholders to improve service delivery.

It was attended by officials from the Regional and District Health Directorates, the Medical Superintendent and Administrator of the Bongo District Hospital, nurses, midwives and other stakeholders.

Ms Abazesi noted that despite the district's achievement in neonatal deaths, “Unfortunately, the district recorded two maternal deaths, giving us a ratio of 52 per 100,000 live births in 2024 as compared to 77 per 100, 000 live births in 2023.

“Child health promotion services on Expanded Programme on Immunisation also modestly improved. PENTA One coverage was 104 per cent in 2024 as compared to 106 per cent in 2023, whilst PENTA Three reduced slightly from 109 to 108 per cent in 2024.

“Measles One increased from 100 per cent in 2023 to 114 per cent in 2024, whilst Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) improved from almost 91 per cent to 94 per cent in 2024,” she disclosed.

Ms Abazesi indicated that on the second year of life vaccines, Measles Two increased significantly from 89 per cent in 2023 to 109 per cent in 2024, adding that “Vitamin ‘A’ for children aged 12 to 59 months coverage improved from 90 per cent in 2023 to 94 per cent in 2024”.

The Director said some reproductive and child health indicators such as family planning, increased from 37 per cent in 2023 to 41 per cent in 2024, with improved ANC from 82 to almost 86 per cent.

She said skilled delivery saw a small reduction at almost 76 from a little over 77 per cent in 2023 with modest improvement in ANC visits from 87 to 91 per cent in 2024.

The Director further noted that within the year under review, first-trimester pregnancies improved from about 79 per cent to about 84 per cent in 2024, adding that “Anaemia at 36 weeks reduced from 40 to 33 per cent in 2024.”

Ms Abazesi said teenage pregnancy stagnated at 11 per cent in both 2023 and 2024 respectively and called for the formation of more adolescent health clubs to improve adolescent services in all healthcare facilities across the district.

She said tuberculosis recorded cases for the year under review were 127 as compared to 112 cases in 2023 with a treatment success rate of 100 per cent for 2023 and 2024.

The Director encouraged staff to leverage the ‘Network of Practice’ initiative of the GHS to improve their facility management, attitudes, behaviours and practices, and work in partnership to promote access to quality health service delivery.

Ms Abazesi thanked staff and partners, especially WaterAid Ghana, a Non-Governmental Organisation for their contributions to health service delivery in the district over the years and called for more support for the Service.

Alhaji Ibrahim Habila, the District Coordinating Director, in a solidarity message to the staff of the GHS, commended them for their achievements despite the numerous challenges they faced and urged them to continue to improve healthcare delivery in the district.