Sunyani, Dec 27, – The
Brong-Ahafo Regional Health Directorate (RHD) has made progress in the
prevention of maternal mortality in the Region, by recording 59 maternal deaths
in 2017, which is 18 deaths less than the 2016 figure of 77.
Dr. Osei Kuffour Afreh, a Deputy
Regional Director responsible for Public Health, said at a one-day regional
maternal deaths audit conference organised by the RHD of the Ghana Health
Service on Wednesday in Sunyani.
The conference, attended by
representatives of the Regional Coordinating Council, traditional and religious
leaders, the Ghana Private Road and Transport Union and the media, discussed
issues of maternal deaths to identify ways to reduce its occurrence to the
barest minimum in the Region.
Dr Afreh observed that even
though there had been reduction in 2017 as compared to 2016, the situation was
still unacceptable since it was possible for the Region and the nation in
general to record zero incidence if more efforts were made by heath personnel
to save lives.
“If China with the highest
population of over 1.3 billion recorded less than two maternal deaths for over
five years why can’t Ghana with a population of 27 million record zero case of
maternal death?” he quizzed.
Dr. Afreh stated that Techiman
Municipality recorded the highest cases of 13, Sunyani Municipality nine and
Pru District eight, and added that haemorrhage and hypertension had been
identified as the two major causes of the menace in the Region.
He expressed worry that the
situation was so pathetic because women in their prime ages between 25-29 who
were just from school and gotten marriage were dying in their first pregnancy
and child-birth.
Dr Afreh said though there were lots of complications
that set in during pregnancies, the situation
could be better with a change of attitude by
health service staff and the pregnant mothers .
Mothers who attended ante-natal
clinics were the most affected, he said and explained that 85 per cent of those
who were regular at the clinics died this year as against 86 per cent in 2016.
Dr Afreh stressed that the
situation needed to be critically examined to ensure that past mistakes were
not repeated.
He advised health personnel to
have a change of attitude, be more professional in their performances and be
innovative to help save lives at their various hospitals.
Some participants later at a
forum suggested that health personnel, especially Midwives must be empowered
and strengthened with the necessary logistics to ensure intensive proper monitoring
and prompt referrals.
They suggested that community
ambulance services must be established and all road networks, particularly in
the rural setting be improved by the
Assemblies to ensure quick transport of referrals.
The participants appealed to
government to help the Region with the establishment of an Intensive Care Unit
at the Sunyani Regional Hospital to assist in saving the lives of mothers and
other patients in the Region.
GNA
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