The Medical Director of the Eastern Regional Hospital, Dr Arko Akoto-Ampaw, has revealed that non-communicable diseases (NCDs) remain the leading cause of deaths and admissions at the facility.
Speaking at the hospital’s 2024 Annual Performance Review in Koforidua on Friday, Dr Akoto-Ampaw stated that diseases such as malaria, diabetes, neoplasm, and pneumonia continue to top the list of hospital admissions.
On the other hand, cerebrovascular diseases (stroke) and heart failure remained the primary causes of death.
Providing a breakdown of the 2024 mortality statistics, Dr Akoto-Ampaw disclosed that cerebrovascular diseases claimed 180 lives compared to 157 in 2023, while heart failure resulted in 102 deaths in 2024, up from 72 in 2023. Prematurity accounted for 100 deaths in 2024, slightly down from 104 in the previous year.
These figures, he said, indicated a concerning rise in deaths from non-communicable diseases.
The performance review meeting aimed to assess the hospital’s activities over the past year and discuss strategies to improve performance moving forward.
It also served as a platform to inform the media about the hospital’s achievements, challenges, and future plans.
Dr. Akoto-Ampaw noted that the leading causes of death and hospital admissions have gradually shifted from infectious diseases to non-communicable diseases.
He attributed the trend to unhealthy lifestyles, stressing that many of these conditions were preventable with better health practices.
“About five of our top 10 diseases are non-communicable, and this shows the increasing burden of these illnesses on our health system. Diseases like diabetes are taking a toll on the population, ranking third among causes of admission. Notably, the majority of diabetes cases admitted are females,” he said.
In light of these developments, Dr Akoto-Ampaw urged Ghanaians to adopt healthier lifestyles by eating balanced diets, exercising regularly, and undergoing routine medical checkups.
He emphasized the importance of prevention and early detection in reducing avoidable deaths.
To address maternal health concerns, the hospital has introduced coaching and mentoring programmes aimed at preventing avoidable deaths in obstetrics, he revealed.
For his part, the hospital’s Clinical Director, Dr Amponsah Manu, called on the media to partner with the hospital in educating the public about non-communicable diseases and other health issues.
He stressed that increased awareness could promote healthier lifestyles and early intervention.
Dr Manu also encouraged the media to seek clarifications on hospital-related issues and promptly relay public complaints to the hospital’s management for swift resolution.
FROM AMA TEKYIWAA AMPADU AGYEMAN, KOFORIDUA
