North Tongu District Health Directorate-GHS-V/R

21/03/2026

On 18th March 2026, 🎉🎊🍾

The North Tongu District was awarded as the 3rd Best Performing District in the Volta Region during the 2025 Health Sector Annual Performance Review. This achievement, placing us among the top three districts, clearly reflects the impact of the innovative strategies and change ideas implemented by our dedicated workforce and leadership, resulting in significant improvements in healthcare delivery across the district.

We extend our sincere appreciation to all staff at every level of care (District, Sub-district, and Community) as well as our valued partners (NT-District Assembly, MSH, UBORA Institute, MP-North Tongu District and ENA) for your unwavering commitment and invaluable contributions to this success.

Let us sustain these gains and strive for even greater achievements in 2026.

Congratulations to Us
🫶🙏🤝💪💫🎉
Management Sciences for Health
Ubora Institute
Engage Now Africa - Ghana
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa
Gates Foundation
Ghana Health Service-Volta
Hectoria Awekeya-Wuobar
Dr. Kwesi Djokoto

24/02/2026

NORTH TONGU DHD HOLDS ANNUAL PERFORMANCE REVIEW AND DISSEMINATION SESSION / STAFF DURBAR.

On 19th and 20th February 2025, the North Tongu District Health Management Team led by Mr. Michael S.K Zigah (District Director of Health Services) successfully organized its 2025 Annual Performance Review/Dissemination Meeting and Staff Durbar.

The two events provided an important platform to reflect on key health interventions undertaken in 2025, assess our performance, and chart strategic priorities for 2026. It was also a moment to formally recognize and honour outstanding health staff, community members, and partners whose dedication significantly advanced healthcare delivery across the district.

🔎 Theme:
“Resetting Health Delivery for Effective Governance, Equitable and Sustainable Financing to Universal Health Coverage.”

This theme strongly aligns with our district strategies aimed at improving Primary Health Care outcomes through use of data for decision making, prompt feedback and scorecards, strengthened collaboration with community leadership, community members, and partners.

📊 Key Achievements in 2025 (Desired Measurable Results):
• Increased Antenatal Care coverage by 7%, especially in hard-to-reach communities.
• Increased skilled delivery attendance by 5% through strengthened safe motherhood services.
• Reduced anaemia among pregnant women by 8% through improved nutrition education and laboratory services.
• Increased 2YL vaccination coverage among children under five.
• Increased Family Planning acceptor rate by 6%, with emphasis on adolescent health services.
• Improved community partnerships and support.
• Enhanced client satisfaction through surveys and responsive feedback systems.
• Improved infrastructure across facilities.

⚠️ Areas of Concern:
Institutional maternal mortality, stillbirths, and institutional neonatal mortality recorded low performance, largely due to late referrals from adjoining districts and regions.

🎯 Strategic Focus for 2026:
• Improve infrastructure through rigorous stakeholder engagement and resource mobilization.
• Strengthen client satisfaction measures.
• Improve equipment and commodity supply.
• Intensify advocacy for NHIS enrollment.
• Strengthen Community Health Management Committees (CHMCs).

👏 Outstanding and deserving staff were recognized and awarded citations for excellence in service delivery and dedication beyond their core duties.

💚 The second day, the Staff Durbar and Socialization brought together staff from all 31 health facilities for prayer sessions, shared reflections, fun moments, and fellowship, allowing us to reconnect, rejuvenate, and prepare for 2026.

🙏 We are deeply grateful to our valued partners:
Management Sciences for Health
Ubora Institute
Engage Now Africa - Ghana
Ghana Health Service-Volta
Ghana Health Service
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa
• Our Chiefs and Communities

together for Primary Health Care-North Tongu 💚💪

19/02/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Lr5NKf76J/?mibextid=wwXIfr

18/02/2026

North Tongu District Holds Annual Sub-District Performance Review (9th–13th February 2026)

The North Tongu District, under the leadership of Mr. Michael S.K. Zigah, together with the Technical Unit Heads, Health Facility Heads, and frontline staff, successfully organized its Annual Sub-District Level Performance Review across all sub-districts from 9th–13th February 2026.

The review served as an important platform to:
1. Disseminate gains made in health service delivery during 2025.
2. Engage stakeholders on prevailing health challenges and explore realistic strategies to mobilize resources to address issues related to access, infrastructure, client satisfaction, and quality of care.

The dissemination sessions were conducted in all six traditional areas within the district: Mape, Battor, Dorfor, Volo, Fodzoku, and Torgorme.

Key Health Service Delivery Gains in 2025
• Improved coverage of 2nd Year of Life (2YL) vaccines among children under five.
• Reduction in anaemia among pregnant women.
• Improved access to and coverage of safe motherhood services.
• Strengthened stakeholder and community support for health service delivery.

Priority Areas for 2026

The review identified the following priority focus areas for the coming year:
1. Mobilizing community support to improve health infrastructure.
2. Strengthening Community Health Management Committees (CHMCs) for effective planning.
3. Improving client satisfaction and service utilization.
4. Ensuring consistent commodity supply.
5. Increasing enrollment onto the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

The strong level of stakeholder collaboration in North Tongu District continues to serve as a critical system-strengthening factor in advancing Primary Health Care outcomes.

We extend our sincere gratitude to our valued partners:
Management Sciences for Health
Ubora Institute
Engage Now Africa - Ghana
North Tongu District Assembly
Our revered Chiefs and dedicated Community Members.

Together, we remain committed to strengthening Primary Health Care and improving health outcomes across North Tongu District.

26/12/2025

26/12/2025

16th -23rd December
KEY HEALTH SYSTEM STRENGTHENING ACTIVITIES IMPLEMENTED.

The North Tongu District led by Mr Michael S.K Zigah (District Director of Health Services) successfully implemented several strategic Primary Health Care (PHC) activities aimed at strengthening service delivery and improving health outcomes.

👩‍⚕️ Firstly, a structured Customer Care Training was organized for health staff across PHC facilities in the district. The training sought to enhance client-centered care, communication, and service quality, and was implemented with support from Management Sciences for Health (MSH) with funding from the Gates Foundation. The training was facilitated by seasoned professionals led by Dr Lawrence Boadu (Divisional Director) from the Institutional Care Division of the Ghana Health Services.

📊 Secondly, an End-of-Cycle Review Session was conducted to assess the performance of planned PHC interventions, identify gaps, and document lessons learned to inform subsequent planning cycles. This activity was undertaken with funding support from Management Sciences for Health-MSH and technical assistance by UBORA Institute, Ghana.

🏥 Additionally, the district officially cut sod for the commencement of construction of two 15-bed capacity Maternity Units at Volo Health Centre and Fodzoku Health Centre. The projects are being funded by Engage Now Africa and are expected to significantly improve maternal and neonatal health service delivery within the catchment communities.

Despite the demanding nature of proposal development, project reporting, and strict deadlines, these coordinated efforts have positioned the North Tongu District as a model for effective partnership-driven health system strengthening. The district remains committed to building a resilient health system that responds to the needs of the communities it serves.

Ubora Institute
Management Sciences for Health
Engage Now Africa - Ghana
Gates Foundation
Ghana Health Service-Volta
Ghana Health Service

21/11/2025

15–16 October 2025-Inter-District Learning Exchange: North Tongu & Akwapim South.

The North Tongu District hosted the Akwapim South District for a two-day inter-district learning session held from 15 to 16 October 2025 at Battor and Mepe.

The shared learning activity forms part of the ongoing Primary Health Care–Leadership Development Program (PHC-LDP) being implemented in both districts with support from the Gates Foundation, Management Sciences for Health (MSH), and UBORA Institute. The program focuses on applying Leadership Development Program (LDP) tools and Quality Improvement (QI) models to address district-level challenges and improve Primary Health Care outcomes, particularly in the areas of:

Improving supervised deliveries
Enhancing antenatal care
Reducing anaemia
Increasing second year-of-life immunization coverages
Strengthening commodity supply systems
Improving NHIS claims management

Objectives of the Session:
To review the status of Cycle 4 action plan implementation.
To assess performance improvement of Desired Measurable Results (DMRs) and discuss unique challenges relating to the DMRs and the way forward.
To provide a refresher on data management.

The teams were led by Mr. Michael S.K. Zigah (DDHS, North Tongu) and Ms. Emily Amponsah (DDHS, Akwapim South).
Both districts mobilized a diverse cadre of health professionals, including Technical Officers, Community Health Nurses, Midwives, Physician Assistants, Clinical Nurses, and Administrative Officers. Participants delivered presentations and shared experiences on various change ideas, demonstrating how their priority actions and strategies influenced their Desired Measurable Results (DMRs).

Both teams identified and adopted several best practices shared during the engagement for adaptation and implementation within their respective districts.

The session also had active participation of representatives from District Assembly , Traditional Leaders, Community Health Volunteers and Assembly Members who pledged their commitment and support for our health interventions.

We are grateful to our partners for supporting these programs to improve the lives of the communities we serve.

Management Sciences for Health
Ubora Institute
Ghana Health Service-Volta
Ghana Health Service
Gates Foundation

11/10/2025

01/09/2025

31st August, 2025

As part of strategies to reduce inequities in access and utilization of Maternal and Child Health services across North Tongu District, the District Health Directorate, in partnership with our benevolent partner Engage Now Africa, has completed the construction of a fully equipped Maternal & Child Health Unit at Juapong Health Centre. This facility will serve the health needs of over 3,000 Women of Reproductive Age annually.

This timely intervention was made possible with the strong support of Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa (MP, North Tongu Constituency) who donated multiple equipment to support service delivery in the newly commissioned facility.

The District’s ongoing efforts to improve skilled delivery rates have received a major boost, particularly at the sub-district and community levels where high rates of home deliveries and limited access to skilled birth attendants have been a persistent challenge.

‘’Mr Michael S.K Zigah- The District Diretor of Health Service, emphasized that, the Directorate is committed to building a health system that ensures a reliable measure of the goodness of fit between provider and client—ACCESS.’’

Dr. Makafui Dzakpasu-Ag, DDCC, who represented the Regional Director of Health Services, in his speech also underscored the RHD’s commitment to strengthening health systems to improve maternal health and family planning services in the region. He emphasized that these efforts will ultimately contribute to reducing maternal mortality, which remains one of the key indicators of concern for the region.

Sincere appreciation to our esteemed partners.



Ghana Health Service-Volta
Ghana Health Service
Engage Now Africa - Ghana
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwae

05/07/2025

02/07/2025

9th–14th June - The North Tongu District Health Directorate successfully organized an abridged, structured training in Sonography for Midwives in Primary Health Care facilities. The training, which combined theoretical and practical components, is a district-led initiative aimed at improving maternal and neonatal health outcomes, particularly in resource-limited and rural settings.

District Director of Health Services, Mr. Michael S.K. Zigah, highlighted that the training of midwives in sonography goes beyond skill acquisition—it’s a strategic investment in:
1. Improving Access to Essential Care in rural and underserved communities that often lack trained sonographers.
2. Early Detection of Pregnancy Complications, enabling timely interventions.
3. Enhancing Clinical Decision-Making for better maternal and child health outcomes.
4. Boosting Patient Confidence and Education through improved communication and care.
5. Strengthening Health Systems within the district.
6. Aligning with Global Health Goals (SDG 3): Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all.

We extend our gratitude to our valued partners:
• Management Sciences for Health (MSH) for funding the procurement of new mobile ultrasound scan machines with printers. 🖥️🖨️
• Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa (MP – North Tongu) for donating a new ultramodern ultrasound scan machine to Mepe Health Centre.

Special thanks to our external facilitator and our dedicated midwives for their unwavering commitment and enthusiasm in embracing this vital new role.

Together, we are advancing Primary Health Care, strengthening local health systems, and building a healthier North Tongu.




Ghana Health Service-Volta
Ghana Health Service
Management Sciences for Health
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa

28/04/2025

Empowering Midwives in North Tongu to Save Lives!

Our astute midwives in the North Tongu District have successfully completed a comprehensive training in Basic Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (BEmONC). They are now fully equipped with the essential skills and knowledge required to manage common obstetric and newborn emergencies at the Primary Healthcare level.

This structured BEmONC training program is a strategic step toward increasing skilled delivery coverage while ensuring strict adherence to all recommended procedures and protocols — with the ultimate goal of achieving Zero Maternal and Neonatal Mortality in the district.

The intensive week-long sessions were expertly facilitated by seasoned Ghana Health Service (GHS) resource persons including:
• The Chief Nursing & Midwifery Officer
• The Regional Focal Midwife
• DDCC, Volta Regional Health Directorate
• Dr. Agbleze – Obstetrics & Gynecology Specialist
• Mr. Michael K. Zigah – District Director of Health Services (DDHS)

We sincerely appreciate our midwives for their active participation and unwavering commitment to excellence. Your assurance to perform beyond expectations is commendable!

A heartfelt thank you to our partners for their invaluable support:
Management Sciences for Health
Ghana Health Service-Volta
Ubora Institute
Ghana Health Service

Together, we are building a safer future for mothers and newborns in North Tongu.