The Upper East Regional Health Directorate has reported mixed health outcomes for 2025, with a marginal decline in outpatient attendance alongside a troubling rise in maternal mortality and mental health cases.
Presenting the region’s performance at the Annual Health Sector Review Meeting in Bolgatanga, the Regional Director of Health Services, Dr. Baba Braimah Abubakari, revealed that outpatient department (OPD) attendance per capita declined slightly from 1.2 in 2024 to 1.18 in 2025, within a population exceeding 1.42 million.
Despite the drop, malaria, respiratory tract infections, diarrhoeal diseases, typhoid fever, and anaemia remained the leading causes of hospital visits, reflecting a persistent disease pattern in the region.
In the area of maternal and child health, the region recorded notable progress in antenatal care coverage, which increased from 74.28 percent in 2024 to 83.65 percent in 2025. However, early antenatal registration saw only a marginal improvement.
More concerning was the sharp rise in maternal deaths, which increased from 40 in 2024 to 60 in 2025—translating into 132 deaths per 100,000 live births, significantly above global targets.
“While total antenatal coverage increased from 74.28% to 83.65% between 2024 and 2025, first-trimester antenatal coverage stagnated from 60.2% to 60.3%, although it remained above the 2025 target of 55%. We aim to improve this through continuous education on the importance of early reporting during pregnancy. Our maternal death situation, however, worsened, rising from 40 to 60 cases,” Dr. Abubakari stated.
Anaemia in pregnancy remained a major public health concern, affecting more than 17,000 women across the region, while neonatal mortality recorded a slight increase.
Stillbirth rates, however, remained stable at 9.9 percent in both 2024 and 2025—below the 2025 target of 11.5 percent.
The report also highlighted a decline in overall institutional mortality rates, alongside a significant reduction in cases of diabetes and hypertension, suggesting some improvements in non-communicable disease management.
Immunisation coverage recorded slight setbacks, particularly for measles and rubella, while pentavalent vaccine coverage remained largely unchanged. Health officials attributed these gaps partly to intermittent vaccine shortages experienced during the year.
On human resources, the region saw modest gains, with an increase in staff strength driven by higher postings and reduced transfers out.
“We recorded a net gain in staff transfers in 2025. Staff posted to the region increased from 29 in 2024 to 41 in 2025, while transfers out declined significantly from 153 to 64. This is encouraging as we continue to attract more personnel. As a result, staff strength increased slightly from 6,588 in 2024 to 6,614 in 2025,” Dr. Abubakari explained.
Despite the gains, inequitable distribution of health workers remains a challenge, with some districts still experiencing critical staff shortages.
The report further revealed a worrying rise in mental health cases among both the general population and health workers.
“There is a worrying rise in mental health cases among both the public and health workers,” Dr. Abubakari noted.
In response, health authorities say support systems have been introduced to provide psychological assistance and improve mental health care delivery across the region.
The findings underscore the need for sustained investment and targeted interventions to address persistent health challenges while consolidating gains made in key areas of healthcare delivery.
Source: BlueWaves Radio 93.7 FM/ Maurice Duncan/ Bolgatanga
