Maternal, child health improves in East Mamprusi

The East Mamprusi District has recorded a significant improvement in maternal and child health (MCH) as the number of women dying through child-birth in the district has reduced whiles skilled deliveries have increased.

Statistics show that institutional maternal mortality reduced 131 per cent from 295 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2011 to 81 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2015, whiles skilled assisted deliveries also increased in the district.

This was as a result of the implementation of the Encouraging Positive Practices for Improving Child Survival (EPPICS) project in the district from 2011 to 2014 to reduce maternal and newborn deaths in the district.

The EPPICS project was implemented by the Catholic Relief Services (CRS) in partnership with the Ghana Health Service (GHS) with funding from the United States Agency for International Development.

Mr Mohammed Ali, Health Programme Manager of CRS, who presented the findings of the project at end of EPPICS project dissemination workshop, said the EPPICS project combined both facility and community-based approaches to reach a target of 27,000 women of reproductive age and 24,000 children under five years.

The workshop brought together stakeholders including public officials, multi and bilateral partner agencies interested in funding MCH work and local international agencies interested in implementing the MCH work.

Mr Ali said in view of the success chalked, CRS has planned to scale up the EPPICS project to five other districts to improve MCH.

Mr Abdallah Abubakari, Northern Regional Minister, whose speech was read on his behalf, said government was committed to providing health care to all hence the construction of hospitals and CHPS compounds across the country.

Dr Jacob Mahama, Northern Regional Director of GHS, whose speech was also read on his behalf, lauded the EPPICS project, which helped to reverse the maternal and child morbidity situation in the East Mamprusi District.

Source: GNA