Health Facilities and Distribution

The public health institution system comprises a district hospital in Swedru, one health post and four community health posts (Table 11). There are sixteen privately owned clinics and/or maternity homes and three health institutions run by religious missions. However, some community based Clinics need to be established. The existing health service delivery is saddled with the following problems:

Inadequate logistics

Lack of Laboratory service for effective diagnosis of diseases.

Inadequate number of staff

Lack of residential accommodation for medical staff.

The last five years saw a modest improvement in the provision of health infrastructure.

Educational and outreach programmes in family planning, preventable diseases and nutrition improvement were successfully implemented perhaps due to the fact that their budgets were moderate.

Perhaps the highest achievement is in the provision of water and sanitation facilities: Expansion of Kwaynako Water works, Bore holes and pit latrines were constructed; 15 refuse containers ware procured and refuse disposal sites designated for only two out of 5 major towns due to land acquisition problems and lack of funding.Today, there are health facilities in  all the sub districts. The general increase in OPD attendance in the whole district may be attributed to the National health Insurance policy being implemented in all health institutions in the sub-districts and improvement in service delivery in all health facilities in the Agona West.

Malaria still topped the list of diseases reported at all health centres in the district. A total of 26,072 cases were reported within 2004 as compared to 22,302 cases in 2003. The list was followed by upper respiratory infection, diarrhoea and Accidents. With the high incidence of malaria in the district, the roll back malaria programme needs to be intensified. Also the use of insecticide treated net (ITN) should be encouraged more in the municipality

HIV/AIDS

Important to note that AIDS and Poverty intricately linked, through ill health and associated costs victims, family and society, exclusive and loss of income earners. There has been a steady increase in prevalence of HIV/AIDS as a result of multifaceted strategies put in place DHMT, NGOs and the Assembly. The number of cases drops from 64 cases in 2004 to 34 cases in 2005. Out of this the majority of 45 were female in 2004 which decreases to 20 in 2005. Prevalence of the disease is highest 20-45 age group. This picture may not be very representative since a large number of patients also patronize the Winneba and Asikuma hospitals outside the municipality. HIV/AIDS preventive programmes have been intensified by GES, MOH, ADA Social Welfare and NGOs throughout the municipality.

AIDS Awareness

The level of HIV AIDS awareness is very high.At least 95% percent of both women and men interviewed identified sexual intercourse as the main mode of AIDS transmission. Although more people perceive that they are personally at risk of becoming infected, they are still practicing high-risk behaviours. The impact of AIDS on medium-term economic development of the district will be serious if efforts ire not stepped up to control it.