Mr Andrews Teddy Ofori, the Hohoe Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), has described the decline in Out-Patient Department (OPD) attendance in the Hohoe Municipality as worrying.

"The decline in OPD attendance should be of concern to all of us and we must, therefore, do more to ensure that our hospitals continue to be a safe place for health service delivery."

Addressing the first ordinary meeting of the second session of the eight Hohoe Municipal Assembly, Mr Ofori noted that "the wellbeing of our people is at the centre of our development agenda. It is in this regard that all efforts are being made to ensure access to an efficient health delivery system in the Municipality."

He said although functional Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compounds increased from 10 to 12 in 2020, OPD attendance decreased from 161,050 in 2019 to 131,284 in 2020.

The MCE said about 81 per cent of OPD attendance used National Health Insurance cards.

Supervised delivery increased from 33 per cent in 2019 to about 34 per cent in 2020, while teenage pregnancy fell from 15 to 14 per cent.

He said last year, the number of COVID-19 cases confirmed in the Municipality stood at 386, and out of which 380 recovered, with one death, leaving five active cases currently at the treatment centre.

"Let me commend our health personnel in various facilities for their vigilance and surveillance and ensuring that the situation is brought under control."

Mr Ofori said during the year under review, the Municipal Environmental Health and Sanitation Unit of the Assembly undertook a routine inspection of household premises, cleaning and collection of refuse at the market, and public education programme on the control of stray animals.

He said the Unit also conducted post mortem examination of carcasses on daily basis to ensure that wholesome meat was produced and passed for sale to the public.

It has also collected and disposed of solid and liquid waste in the Municipality in collaboration with Zoomlion Ghana Limited.

The MCE said 765 improved latrines were constructed by households, 12 successive monthly communal clean-up exercises were organized and 18 communities triggered the Community-Led Total Sanitation programme.

He noted that the Assembly was committed to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 13 on climate action, adding that in 2021, the Assembly had prioritiased planting of over 10,000 trees to protect watersheds, reduce erosion and mitigate climate change.

The MCE said the Assembly also prioritized sensitisation on flood risk disaster prevention, massive dredging of drains to mitigate the effects of climate change, and also revamped and trained disaster volunteer groups in our communities, all aimed at promoting good climate and enhancing the environment.

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Mr Ofori also touched on some road networks in the Municipality, saying that "last year, our Municipality witnessed the massive transformation of our road networks. This was made possible by the kind courtesy of our Hon Member of Parliament, John Peter Amewu."

He said roads worked on in the Municipality included a 9.5-kilometre, Hohoe-Fodome Helu, 65 per cent completed, and additional 900 diameter pipe culvert and 200m 600 U-drain to be constructed before the 2nd seal was done.

The MCE also mentioned the 7.5 km Fodome Ahor-Liati Wote, 70 per cent completed and left with the second seal, and a 7.2km Fodome Ahor-Wli Todzi, 45 per cent completed with earthworks in progress.

He also said construction works on the Assemblies of God /SDA Church, Sankis Road, Bremen Mission, Likpe Road, Picnic Road, Kpeme High Street, Togbe Worde Street, Vule Street, By- Plan and Kitikpa Road have all been completed.