Motor ambulances introduced to curb maternal mortality
The Association of Church-based Development (ACDEP), a non-governmental organization, has introduced motor ambulances and mobile phones to curb maternal mortalities in the Northern and the Upper East regions.
Five tricycle motor bikes have been designed as ambulances capable of carrying pregnant women were handed over for use in five districts; two in the Northern Region and three for the Upper East Region while 580 mobile phones were also going to be distributed to pregnant women and health workers.
The mobile phones have been designed with data and voice messages to prompt the pregnant women to go for antenatal services and also for free calls to the ambulance for immediate services at all hours during emergencies.
Mr Malex Alebikiya, Executive Director of ACDEP who handed over five tricycle motor bikes to the Salaga and Nalerigu districts in the Northern Region, Talensi District and Bawku and Bolgatanga municipalities, said the innovation were part of efforts the NGO was making to reduce maternal mortalities in rural areas.
He said ACDEP had been implementing adolescent reproductive health programmes in some communities as another means of reducing maternal mortalities since teenage pregnancies accounted for most of the maternal deaths.
Mr Alebikiya said through its advocacy activities, a bill to promote collaborative working relationship between traditional medical practitioners and orthodox medicines stressing that “An effective collaboration of traditional and orthodox medicines can reduce diseases and deaths”.
Dr. Akwasi Twumasi, Northern Regional Director of Health, said maternal mortality had become a reportable event which is monitored by the National Security noting that the region recorded 62 maternal deaths as at June.
He said neonates contribute to one-third of child mortalities in the region and that more staffs were being trained.
Dr. Twumasi commended the NGO for introducing such innovation which would complement the Ghana Health Service in its healthcare delivery but advised them to train the drivers very well in order not for them to cause accidents adding that “You must also consider insurance for the motor bikes”.
Source: GNA