The Wenchi District Director of Health Services, Dr. Peter Asare, has challenged health service providers in the District to develop innovative measures towards quality health care delivery as Out Patient Department attendance is shooting up. Dr. Asare threw the challenge during an annual performance review conference for 2006 at Wenchi. He announced that the top ten diseases in Wenchi District, which include malaria, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, chest infections as well as Anaemia accounted for 78.6% of attendance at the OPDs. The Out Patient Department (OPD) attendance increased from 44,000 in 2005 to 71,000 in 2006 representing a 60%increase. Dr. Asare said this huge increase is due to the implementation of the National Health Insurance Scheme. He mentioned that though reported cases of HIV/AIDS have dropped from 197 in 2005 to 122 in 2006, deaths due to HIV/AIDS infections increased from 11 to 15 during the same period. According to Dr. Asare, there were no recorded cases of measles or leprosy. He however said only one Buruli ulcer case was detected in the Asuogya sub-District. The District Co-ordinating Director for Wenchi, Kenneth Osman, commended the private health providers for collaborating with public health providers to run the National Health Insurance Scheme smoothly. He implored the District Health Directorate to link-up with the District Assembly to enhance the infrastructural base of the health sector. GBC