By Godfred Aaneamenga Polkuu, GNA
Zuarungu (U/E), Aug. 6, GNA – Ms Maria Mahama, the Bolgatanga East District Director of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), has announced notable improvements in several key health indicators in the first half of 2026.
She said the district made “significant strides” towards achieving its health objectives despite resource constraints, and called for increased collaboration and investment to address persistent challenges affecting healthcare delivery.
Ms Mahama was speaking at the 2026 half year performance review meeting of the Service in the district on the theme: “Strengthening Free Primary Health Care, Through Community Engagement and Quality Data for Accountability”.
The review meeting attracted key stakeholders, including officials from the Regional Health Directorate, the District Health Insurance Authority, the National Ambulance Service among others.
The GHS had long been a leader among public sector institutions to institutionalise half-year and end-of-year performance review meetings to provide managers the opportunity to assess performance, share best practices and success stories, identify operational challenges, and develop practical strategies and interventions to strengthen healthcare delivery in the country.
Ms Mahama disclosed that teenage pregnancy declined from 11 per cent to 9.8 per cent during the review period, Outpatient Department (OPD) attendance improved marginally from 0.47 to 0.53, while the district sustained its achievement of recording no stillbirths.
She said family planning acceptor rate increased to 47.8 per cent, and surveillance of priority diseases improved across all sub-districts, with each reporting suspected cases, and indicated that Tuberculosis notification reached 63 per cent at the half-year mark.
“As we reached the midpoint of this year, I am pleased to report that we have made some significant strides in achieving some of our health objectives,” the Director stated.
Despite the gains, Ms Mahama acknowledged that several critical indicators remained below national expectations. “Our supervised delivery, though increased slightly from 14 per cent to 17.5 per cent, was still far below the national target,” the Director said.
Ms Mahama highlighted concerns over low immunisation coverage, which ranged from 23 per cent to less than 45 per cent in some facilities, coupled with high dropout rates for vaccine antigens.
She said anaemia among mothers and children remained a major public health concern.
Ms Mahama further pointed to resource limitations hindering the district’s efforts to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
“As a district, we are also faced with some resource constraints in the areas of diagnostic equipment and services, inadequate fuel for PHC services, and inadequate infrastructure for effective service delivery, which affects our effort in achieving UHC,” the Director noted.
To address these challenges, Ms Mahama urged stakeholders to strengthen partnerships, improve resource mobilisation, enhance data utilisation to reduce health inequities, reinforce referral systems through greater community engagement, and promote the use of community scorecards to improve accountability and health outcomes.
She called on all stakeholders to work together towards ensuring equitable access to quality healthcare saying, “Let us work together to achieve our shared goal of UHC, where everyone, everywhere, has access to quality healthcare without financial hardship.”
Dr Braimah Baba Abubakari, the Regional Director of the GHS, in a speech delivered on his behalf, commended the district for its hard work, commitment and dedication to duty over the years.
He said quality healthcare, particularly at the primary level, required teamwork, sacrifice and perseverance, and noted that despite the challenges they continued to face, health workers remained committed to serving the people of the district.
“I therefore, encourage everyone to maintain the momentum and continue working diligently. Our collective efforts are essential to achieving the health goals of the Region” Dr Abubakari said.
GNA
Edited by Caesar Abagali/ Christabel Addo
Reporter: Godfred Aaneamenga Polkuu
Reporter’s Email: [email protected]