Front view of TTH
Maternal mortality rate at the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH), which has been high previously at the facility, has witnessed a decline in 2018.
The facility recorded a three-year decline from 899 per 100,000 live births in 2016 to 597 per 100,000 live births at the end of year 2018.
Out of the 47 deaths recorded, 85 per cent were referrals from peripheral facilities and 8.5 per cent were as a result of home deliveries.
The Chief Executive Officer of the TTH, Dr. David Kolbilla, made this known at the hospital’s 2018 annual performance review on the theme: ‘Improving Patient Experiences Through Good Governance & Leadership’.
He called for the need for partnerships and collaborations between hospital and referring facilities within its catchment areas to reduce the burden of maternal deaths.
Dr. Kolbilla, however, bemoaned the persistent delays in the payment of claims submitted to the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) during the year.
According to him, tariffs being paid by the NHIA are not commensurate with cost of the provision of these services.
He stated that the hospital would engage NHIA together with other stakeholders to improve timeliness in payment of claims submitted.
Dr. Kolbilla disclosed that there would be performance contracts signed across directorates, departments and units and monitored for rewards or sanctions.
FROM Eric Kombat, TamaleP