Eastern Regional Hospital makes progress
The Eastern Regional Hospital in Koforidua last year witnessed a significant breakthrough in service delivery.
For instance, while maternal mortality decreased by half, neonatal mortality also reduced by 10.7 per cent.
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The hospital also witnessed an increase in the survival of extreme preterm babies of weight under 1kg.
Attendance
The hospital, which was built in 1926 and had most of its structures improved, had Out Patient Department (OPD) attendance rising by 13.8 per cent, making up a shortfall of 12 per cent in 2020.
In 2020, the hospital attendance which stood at 232,485 rose to 264, 640 in 2021 representing the 13.8 per cent increase.
Patients reporting to the facility with National Health Insurance card accounted for 194,992 in the year under review.
That was an increase over the 186.943 in 2020 but a decrease of 221,426 in 2019.
Top causes
The three top causes of OPD attendance were anaemia, rheumatism and joint pains/musculoskeletal pain, upper respiratory track infections, hypertension, stroke and diabetes.
In view of such achievements, the hospital was adjudged the Most Outstanding Regional Hospital in Ghana for the elimination of mother-to-child transmission in 2020.
At a meeting with the Eastern Regional Press Corps in Koforidua, the Medical Director of the hospital, Dr Arko Akoto-Ampaw, explained that the non-insured patients during the year under review stood at 69,648 representing 26.3 per cent.
Admissions
Dr Akoto-Ampaw indicated that admissions increased up to 15.5 per cent from 21,396 in 2020 to 24,713 in 2021 while overall deaths stood at 1,808 representing 8.4 per cent.
The Medical Director told the press that the management had taken note of the worrying increase in cancers, kidney and other lifestyle diseases.
With regard to eye care, Dr Akoto-Ampaw said the hospital, in partnership with the Himalayan Cataract Programme, undertook two surgery sessions for free and that the surgeries increased from 35 in 2020 to 763 in 2021.
On reproductive health, he further indicated that deliveries increased from 5,157 in 2020 to 5,263 in 2021, while caesarean deliveries rose from 2,211 in 2020 to 2,300 in 2021.
Touching on the COVID-19 pandemic in the region, he said 3,408 suspected cases were recorded with 1,109 confirmed out of which 91 died.