New Juaben Municipality HIV prevalence rate increases The New Juaben Municipal Health Directorate has recorded 1018 HIV cases out of 9,593 people who tested last year. 108 pregnant women also tested positive out of 5,771 who were tested for Prevention-of-Mother-to-Child-Transmission. This was revealed by the Municipal Director of Health, Dr. Edmund Ekow Kaitoo at the 2017 Annual Performance Review meeting in Koforidua in the Eastern Region. The year under review also saw improvement in Tuberculosis case detection rate, with a detection of 141 cases as against 121 cases in 2016. There was an improvement of 3% with a recorded reduction in TB defaulter rate and improved cure rate cohort analysis from 80% in 2016 to 92% last year. Dr Kaitoo added that 38 suspected cases of Meningitis were reported for the period but only one tested positive and died, with one rumoured case of Guinea worm, but an investigation conducted did not confirm the case. He indicated that 39 maternal mortality deaths were recorded last year as against 44 in 2016. Dr Kaitoo said to promote public health, the Directorate advocated safe motherhood and family planning throughout the year, got all pregnant women in the communities registered by Community Health officers, paid home visits, and carried out disease surveillance and case investigation on suspected outbreaks. He mentioned inadequate CHPS compounds and basic medical equipment, irregular and inadequate flow of funds for service delivery due to long delay by NHIA to reimburse facilities as some of the challenges confronting the Directorate. Dr Kaitoo urged the health workers to change their attitude towards their core responsibilities and develop high commitment towards work to help attain goal three of the Sustainable Development Goals. The New Juaben Municipal Chief Executive, Comfort Asante, who through her efforts secured some medical equipment including BP apparatus, delivery kits and maternity beds for the Municipal Health Directorate urged the workers to continue to render selfless services to their patients noting that government will work to address their challenges GBCONLINE ---DECRYPTED---