The Western Regional Health Directorate has stepped up its collaboration with training institutions in the health sector to ensure that students understand the policies and vision of the service before they complete their training. "It is envisaged that this will help improve their attitude as they go into the communities to work," Dr (Mrs) Linda Vanoto, Western Regional Health Director, said on Monday. She was addressing the 2010 annual performance review meeting which was attended by doctors, nurses, administrators and other officials of the health sector in the region. The meeting discussed the performance of health institutions in the region and also planned for the 2011. It was held on the theme "Exemplary leadership - a key to quality care service delivery at all levels". Dr Vanoto said the oil and gas industry in the region had placed additional challenges on the Health Directorate to improve on their services to address the possible health impact due to the influx of people to the area. She said malaria continued to occupy the first position as the most prevalent disease in the region. Out patient attendance in the region were 1,023,993, while admissions stood at 39,564 and 476 deaths. Dr Vanoto commended the support from USAID, describing it as timely to address gaps in malaria control including the provision of bed nets. She expressed concern about the number of still births and said this required strengthening of skills of midwives while diseases like fibroid, cervix and breast cancers must to be given attention. Mr Paul Evans Aidoo, the Western Regional Minister, appealed to health personnel to ensure that patients left institutions with hope of recovering speedily by putting up good attitudes towards them. He said in a speech read for him that uncomplimentary behaviour put up by some health personnel had the tendency to worsen the health conditions of patients. Reports presented by representatives from the various health institutions in the region showed lack of or inadequate equipment and specialised staff. They appealed to the government to supply them with the resources to enable them give off their best. Source: GNA