Malaria continues to be a major public health concern in Ghana, particularly in the Western North Region. The Suaman District, with its capital at Dadieso, has been identified as leading in malaria cases in the region, according to the Ghana Health Service.District Chief Executive (DCE) of Suaman, Mr. Vasco Obour, disclosed that upon assuming office, he requested briefings from all departmental heads in the district.
During these briefings, the District Director of Health presented statistics indicating that Suaman District recorded the highest number of malaria cases in the region.Mr. Obour expressed deep concern over this revelation, describing it as troubling. “It is worrying that Suaman is leading in malaria cases in the region. This calls for urgent attention,” he said.He emphasized that efforts are already underway to address the situation. One of the major challenges, he noted, is the low doctor-to-patient ratio and the general lack of health personnel in the district.
Currently, Suaman District has only seven midwives serving the entire population.The DCE mentioned that he has written to several authorities, including the Ministry of Health, to request support in the form of additional healthcare workers. He appealed to the Minister of Health to consider Suaman’s plight and prioritize the district in future health worker recruitments.Mr. Obour also stated that while the district is making progress in building Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compounds to bring healthcare closer to the people, the shortage of staff remains a major obstacle to quality service delivery.
He made these remarks while participating in a district-wide mosquito-spraying exercise aimed at preventing the spread of malaria.
by: Emmanuel Sowah
