AKATSI NORTH DISTRICT RECORDS DECLINE IN TEENAGE PREGNANCY.

The Akatsi North District in the Volta Region, has consistently recorded a decline in teenage pregnancy in two consecutive years.

The District recorded a decline from 12.23 per cent in 2023 to 9.79 per cent in 2024.

The achievement was as a result of effective collaborations between the Ghana Health Service (GHS), the Ghana Education Service (GES) and some Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and other stakeholders in the health sector.

Mr. Timothy Mahama Awentok, the District Director of the GHS, disclosed this at the 2024 Annual Performance Review meeting in Ave Dakpa, the District capital.

The review meeting was on the theme: “Strengthening Primary Health Care Service System for Improve Access to Quality health Service Delivery: The Role of Network of Practice.”

Mr. Awentok said the District Health Directorate in collaboration with the various health facilities across the District constantly held community engagements and provided sensitization on the negative impact of teenage pregnancy, education on adolescent health service, training on menstrual hygiene and reproductive rights among others.

He urged parents and teachers to mentor the Girl-Child to focus on their future dreams and not fall victim to any sexual advances from the opposite sex, especially some unscrupulous male adults.

The Director further highlighted some achievements including improved access and quality healthcare delivery, better resource allocation and workforce development and innovation.

He said there was mass distribution of treated mosquito nets in the District to reduce malaria cases, coupled with successful rounds of polio campaigns.

Mr. Awentok noted a decline in some indicators in Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI), and said Penta 3 coverage reduced from 68 percent to 64 percent in 2024.

Measles Rubella 2 coverage reduced from 63 percent to 60 percent and another critical indicator that has seen decline was Family Planning from 37. 06 percent to 32.94 percent, he said.

He attributed the decline in childhood immunization to inadequate number of health professionals, hard-to-reach communities, especially during the rainy season among others.

The Director said tuberculosis coverage decreased from 56 percent to 51 percent from 2023 to 2024.

He called for the reactivation of non functional health management committees describing it as a critical tool to bridge some development gaps between the health professionals and community members.

He expressed concern about the refusal of some health professionals to accept postings to the District, and disclosed that 13 health professionals were posted to the District in the year under review, but only five out of the number reported.

According to him, all attempts to reach out to the remaining eight staff who declined to report, was unsuccessful, “We would like to appeal to the Assembly to provide incentives to attract and retain more critical staff in the District,” he said.