Maternal and neo-natal mortality cases recorded slight decreases in the Bono Region in 2022, compared to the previous year, Dr Kofi Amo-Kodieh, the Bono Regional Director of Health, has said.
Maternal deaths decreased from 28 in 2021 to 23 in 2022, putting the region’s current institutional maternity rate at 75.5 per cent.
Addressing a news conference in Sunyani, Dr Amo-Kodieh said most of the maternal deaths were preventable and avoidable and that the Directorate had upped its measures to bring the situation to the barest minimum.
He said neo-natal deaths also decreased from 247 in 2021 to 191 in 2022.
Since 2020 the COVID-19 had also killed 99 people in the region.
Dr Amo-Kodieh said COVID-19 was still prevalent and advised the public to continue to adhere to the health and safety protocols to avoid contracting the disease.
Regular handwashing with soap under running water, frequent use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers, and observance of social distancing remained the prerequisites, he said, and urged everybody to strictly adhere to that.
Nine cases of Monkey Pox were also recorded in the region, but no deaths, he added.
Dr Amo-Kodieh said the Directorate was working hard against the occurrence of preventable diseases and advised the public to eat balanced diets and guard against unhealthy lifestyles that could endanger their lives.
He said the Bono Region also had the highest prevalence of HIV/AIDS in the country and urged the people to avoid unprotected and pre-marital sex.
Earlier, Dr Prince Quarshie, a Deputy Director in-charge of Public Health, Regional Directorate of Health, said it was the Directorate’s vision to bring maternal mortality and infant deaths to the barest minimum.
The outbreak of communicable diseases remained a major concern of the Directorate, he said, and called on the media to intensify public education on environmental and personal hygiene.
