By Ewoenam Kpodo
Aflao (VR), Feb 21, GNA – Mr David Agbokpe, Ketu South Municipal Director of Health Services has appealed to stakeholders, especially parents and guardians of teenage girls to help reduce teenage pregnancy prevalence in the Municipality.
It emerged at the Directorate’s 2024 Programme of Work Review meeting that the municipality recorded 885 teenage pregnancies in the year, representing 16.9 percent, an increase from the 859 recorded cases, representing 13.8 per cent in 2023.
The Directorate set out to reduce the prevalence rate from 13.8 percent to the national target of 11.5 per cent at the end of 2024 but missed out.
Addressing stakeholders at the review meeting, Mr Agbokpe said it could not be business as usual as more needed to be done to address the situation.
“Teenage pregnancy is an issue the municipality has been battling with over the years. A lot of interventions are ongoing to address the problem in the municipality but what we are recording is still higher than the national target.”
The Municipal Director however, noted some positive strives in areas like Tuberculosis (TB) and HIV and AIDS prevention, treatment and management in curtailing further spread of these diseases in the municipality.
“TB case detection rate decreased slightly from 36.1 percent in 2023 to 34.5 percent in 2024. Death rate reduced to 3.1 percent in 2023 to 2.2 percent in 2024 and lost to follow up rate reduced from 2.3 percent in 2023 to 2.2 percent in 2024. The cure rate of TB increased from 64.3 percent in 2023 to 71.9 percent in 2024.
“HIV infection rate decreased from 2.1 percent (266) in 2023 to 1.7 percent (233) in 2024. Prevention of mother to child transmission was one of the key indicators we followed up on over the period. All pregnant women who tested positive for HIV had been put on antiretroviral drugs, representing 100 percent coverage.”
Mr Agbokpe noted that the year under review was very challenging with limited resource, funds, erratic shortage of some drugs and vaccines, inadequate staff, and delay in national health insurance disbursements but with commitment and team spirit, staff of the municipality performed well in various service delivery areas like clinical care and public health.
The one-day performance review meeting chaired by Mama Hodzige II, Ketu South Municipal Director, National Commission for Civic Education, served as a forum to give feedback to stakeholders in health on the performance of the Directorate, its successes and challenges and as well, inform steps to consider to improve service delivery in the municipality.
GNA