The Tema Health Directorate, recorded a total of 108,417 top 10 Out-Patient Department (OPD) cases in the Tema Metropolis last year.
The top 10 OPD cases included Malaria, Hypertension, Acute Respiratory Infections (ARI), Skin Diseases and Ulcers, as well as pregnancy-related sicknesses.
Others were Diabetes Mellitus, Rheumatism and Joints, Acute Eye Infections, Intestinal Worms and Anaemia.
Mr Harvey Akafu, Tema Metropolitan Health Information Officer, who disclosed this to the Ghana News Agency on Thursday, said even though there was a general decrease in the OPD cases recorded in the various health facilities in the Metropolis, Malaria still remained the number one
reason for visiting the facilities.
Mr Akafu stated that despite the fact that Malaria topped the OPD cases, there was a decrease in the number of reported Malaria cases, as a total of 63,806 cases were recorded in 2009, as compared to the 70,147 cases in 2008.
The Health Information Officer again said there was a slight decrease in Hypertension, which had consistently been the second on the list for some years now.
The records, he said, showed that last year, a total of 27,493 Hypertension cases were reported at the health facilities, while 29,443 were recorded in 2008.
Mr Akafu entreated residents in the Metropolis to lead healthy lifestyles, as Hypertension was a life-style disease.
He advised that apart from not consuming too much fatty foods, the public should undertake regular exercises, in order to be in good health.
Mr Akafu encouraged residents to participate in the weekly health walk exercise, organized by the D