Hypertension, stroke, and diabetes are recording disturbing figures in the Bono Region, Dr. Kofi Amo Kodieh, the Bono Regional Director of Health, has said.
Additionally, he noted that kidney and liver-related diseases had also soared, urging the people to be cautious about their diet and avoid unhealthy lifestyles.
Addressing the opening session of the 2024 Annual Performance Review Meeting of the Directorate in Sunyani, Dr. Kodieh stated that the region’s recorded cases of hypertension jumped from 15,020 in 2020 to 22,193 in 2024.
The two-day meeting is being held under the theme “Expanding Access to Quality Healthcare Through Collaboration: The Impact of the Network of Practice (NoP) on Clinical and Public Health Services.” It is being attended by health workers, traditional authorities, civil society organizations, and other key stakeholders in the health sector.
By the end of 2024, Dr. Kodieh reported that the region had recorded 7,991 cases of diabetes, 652 cases of stroke, and 469 cases of kidney and liver-related diseases.
The Regional Director expressed concern about the widespread use of agrochemicals contaminating food products and illegal mining activities polluting water sources, stating that these were partly contributing to the rise in non-communicable diseases.
Touching on the NoP introduced by the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Kodieh said the region had launched 12 out of the 23 NoPs, assuring that all the NoPs would be launched by the end of 2025.
The NoP initiative reinforces the commitment of the GHS to identifying innovative approaches to increase access to quality essential healthcare and population-based services for all. It aligns with the strategic focus of achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by 2030.
Dr. Kodieh stated that despite some successes achieved, inadequate critical staff remained a major challenge confronting the NoP implementation in the region.
He, therefore, emphasized the need for the posting of more medical officers, physician assistants, health information officers, as well as dispensary and laboratory technicians and pharmacists.
Dr. Kodieh also highlighted the lack of accommodation for health workers in rural communities as a significant challenge. He expressed concern that some landlords increased rent charges for health workers posted to serve in rural areas.
“The landlords do this simply because they are health workers,” he lamented, calling on chiefs and queens to intervene and help reverse the trend in the supreme interest of local communities.