Public Agenda (Accra)
Misbahu Bawa Bulmuo
3 July 2009
Despite efforts to bring it under control, maternal health continue to be a problem to health officials and other stakeholders and indications are that this can stand in the way of this country achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDG).
At a civil society forum in Kumasi, the Deputy Director of Public Health Service of the Ghana Health Service [G H S], Dr. Stephen Oduro told participants that despite efforts to improve maternal health situation the problem still persists and it now would require the contribution of civil society organization to improve the situation.
He said only one mortality is recorded in 2500 pregnant cases in the developed world, but in sub-Saharan Africa it is one death in sixty pregnancies. Ghana is included.
The forum under the theme "Maternal Health Concern for all: the role of civil society organizations is the first of its kind organized by the Ashanti branch of the Ghana Coalition of NG Os in Health."
It brought together experts from the health, education and security sectors, the metropolitans, municipals and district assemblies [MMDAs] warfare and religious bodies and the non- formal sectors.
The forum brought the actors under one roof to discuss, deliberate, collaborate and exchange views and ideas on addressing one of Ashanti regions number one health problem which is maternal health.
It was clear from proceedings that the over two hundred participants understood the task ahead as they agreed on how to address the problems confronting maternal health delivery.
Giving more statistics, Dr. Oduro said the case of maternal death rather keeps going up each year. In 2006 and 2007, 175 and 179 deaths were recorded respectively and last year the number went as high as 228.
In his view, a multifaceted approach is needed to solve the problem which he said has dire social economic and political considerations.
Mentioning some of the causes of maternal deaths, he said absence of some essential medical equipment at district hospitals is a major factor which requires the attention of government if any headway is to be made to save women from dying as results of complications of pregnancies.
Other causes include what Dr. Oduro referred to as the "D" which are delay in spotting vital signs of pregnancy complications at home and delays in taking decisions when these occur. Bad road networks in most Ghanaian communities and availability of reliable transportation system have all been causes.
He said the role of civil society organizations in finding lasting solutions to this problem is no less important as that of other health professionals and urged them to include material and child health issues in their programmes and educate the public on how to prevent them.
On the bright side, more women are now attending hospitals in the Ashanti Region and other parts of the country. In 2006 74% of pregnant women visited health centers with 2007 recording 76.2%.for last year as much as 30 % received medical attention.
This has been possible due to the introduction of the national health insurance scheme and the policy on free health care for pregnant women introduced by President John Kufour's administration about a year ago.
The Ashanti Regional chairman of the Ghana coalition of NGOs in Health, Mr. Samuel Oracca-Tetteh said Ghana may not be able to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) 4 and 5 if measures were not taken to address the challenges facing maternal health.
He said it is against this background that the forum was organized with funding from the Royal Netherlands embassy in Accra to re-awaken interest in the subject and reminded participants of the role they have to play to solve this problem.
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