Monday, June 9, 2008

MALARIA HIGHEST CAUSE OF ADMISSSIONS IN KUMASI (PAGE 24)

AS many as 15,999 residents of the Kumasi Metropolis and its environs suffered from uncomplicated malaria between 2005 and 2007, and were admitted to various public hospitals in the Kumasi metropolis.
The total number of residents who were also admitted during the same period for contracting cholera, diarrhoea and dysentery was 3,858.
These were contained in the Kumasi Metropolitan Health Directorate annual report presented by the Ghana Health Services as part of their reviewed programme of action in 2008.
The report, which catalogued the top 10 causes of admissions in the Kumasi metropolis, among other issues, excluded patients who were admitted to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) during the period under review.
According to the report, uncomplicated malaria topped the list of the top 10 diseases listed by the Ghana Health Services, with 2,373 total admissions in 2005. The number of patients admitted increased to 6,175 the following year, before jumping to 7,451 last year.
Dysentery (diarrhoea with bleeding), which recorded 1,450 admissions last year at the various health institutions in the Kumasi metropolis and its environs, was second on the ladder.
In 2006, diarrhoea with no dehydration was second on the ladder with a total of 1,758 admissions.
Third on the list of the top 10 diseases in the metropolis in 2007 was hypertension. It recorded a total of 780 admissions.
In 2006 and 2005, severe malaria was third on the list of the top 10 diseases, recording 715 and 540 admissions respectively.
Severe malaria, which seems to be having a big toll on residents and had been undermining productivity over the years, was also recognised among the top 10 diseases that caused residents to be admitted to health institutions. The disease recorded a total of 594 admissions last year.
Acute urinary tract infection, which infected 407 residents last year, causing them to be admitted for treatment at some health institutions in the metropolis, was fifth on the list with typhoid fever taking the sixth position with a total of 394 admissions.
About 334 cases of uncomplicated pneumonia were admitted confirmed malaria, 324 admissions, anaemia, 310 admissions and asthma, 275 admissions, completed the list of the top 10 diseases by taking the seventh eighth, ninth and 10th positions respectively and resulted in the victims being admitted to health facilities in 2007.
According to the report, uncomplicated malaria topped the list of the top 10 that resulted in 6,175 patients being admitted in 2006 in the Kumasi metropolis and its environs, with diarrhoea with no
dehydration taking the second spot with a total of 1,758 admissions.
Severe malaria, with 715 admissions in 2006 came third on the list in the metropolis, and hypertension, with 607 admissions in 2006 was fourth on the list.
Others among the top 10 diseases in 2006 in their order of severity were anaemia, 400 admissions; diarrhoea with some dehydration, 333 admissions; confirmed malaria, 328; typhoid fever, 324; pneumonia, 304; and acute urinary tract infection, 281.

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