From Ernest Best Anane
The Bosomtwe District has not recorded any maternal deaths as against six and seven recorded in 2012 and 2013 respectively.
Ms Christian Konto, a public Health Nurse, who revealed this at a day’s workshop on advocacy for improved maternal health in the Kuntenase District, attributed the attainment of this achievement to certain factors, including intensive education on ante-natal care to pregnant women, the capacity building of midwives, as well as improvement in health facilities.
The workshop, aimed at adopting effective strategies to minimise the problem, was organised jointly by the Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG) and the Environmental Protection Association of Ghana (EPAG).
She said the District Health Directorate was doing its best to address the problem, and called on the various stakeholders to support in checking the problem.
She stated that maternal deaths are caused by severe bleeding, infections, high blood pressure and unsafe abortion.
The Public Nurse called on pregnant mothers to attend ante-natal care regularly to ensure safe deliveries.
The Programme Co-ordinator of EPAG, Mr. Haruna Yoda, said 350 deaths occur per 100,000 live births in the country, according to a Ganyagto and Hill Report of 2012.
He stressed the need for the district to create a special fund for pregnant mothers to help reduce maternal deaths.
He attributed that some factors, including inadequate health facilities and distribution of health staff as some of the problems.
Mr. Harun Adame Babangida, Administrative Manager of the Bosomtwe Rural Bank at Kuntenase, gave the assurance that as part of its corporate social responsibility, the bank would provide financial support towards the creation of a special fund for pregnant women to avert maternal deaths in the district.
Mr. Ebenezer Kwame Amofa, Deputy District Development Officer, who chaired the function, appealed to the Assembly to spearhead the creation of special fund for pregnant women in the district.