The Zabzugu District Hospital in the Northern Region has recorded ten neonatal deaths between January and August this year.

In 2019 the district recorded 16 cases representing 7.7 per cent while in 2020, it recorded 13 cases representing 5.3 per cent.

District Director of the Health Service, Madam Victoria Teni Aboyella made the data known during a presentation of medical supplies to the hospital by World Vision.

She noted that the authorities in the area are working hard to bring the figure down before the end of the year.

"For neonatal mortality for 2019, we had as high as 16 neonates dying in the hospital but because of the seriousness we attached to the issue, we were able to bring it down to 13 in 2020 and 10 in 2021. I see 10 to be high for the half of the year," she said.

Madam Teni raised concerns about locked-up funds at the GN Bank, making it difficult for the hospital to effectively provide some essential services.

"This district, we were saving our money with the GN Bank and freezing GN Bank has locked up much of our capital in that bank so if we are assisted to get that money back it will help the hospital a lot. We have a total of GH¢140,963.89 locked up in GN Bank," she stated.

The District Director also bemoaned inadequate supply of medicine and logistics such as vehicles and motorbikes for their outreach programs and appealed for support.

She called for the renovation of the district health directorate building which she said has not seen any renovation works since 2014.

Meanwhile, Zabzugu Programme Manager of World Vision, Joseph Kwogyenga, says the medical equipment donated will enhance the storage of vaccines and other commodities in the hospital.

He noted that the donation was upon a request made by the hospital to support it to effectively provide quality healthcare to patients.