Communities urged to stand up against maternal mortality

Available statistics show that about 1,600 women die each day from pregnancy related complications and childbirth and about 90 per cent of those deaths occur in sub Saharan Africa and Asia.

Mr Vincent Anokye Aidoo, Agona West Municipal Disease Control Officer, said some pregnant women simply had no idea of the signs and symptoms of maternal mortality.

He noted that some signs were initially innocuous and posed serious threat in their extreme forms.

Mr Anokye Aidoo was addressing a community durbar on maternal mortality at Agona Swedru on Friday organised by the Millennium Development Authority under the theme: “No Woman Should Die Giving

Birth; Stand Up and Take Action against Maternal Death in Ghana.”

He said there was the need to raise awareness in communities about the danger signs adding that there should be an education for the woman, her spouse and the family about when and where to seek care during complications.

Mr Anokye Aidoo said there should be a referral system that would link facility to community through regular interactions and community participation in the running of the facility.

He said some of the numerous delays that hindered pregnant women from reaching health care facilities would be solved when communities were encouraged to create emergency transportation to convey these women to assess health care.

Mr Abubakar Alhassan, Agona West Municipal Finance and Administrative Chairman, who represented the Municipal Chief Executive, urged all pregnant women to seek medical care since pre-natal and post-natal care were free.

He said the municipality had built six community based health planning and service centres in some communities to provide health care for the people.

Mr Alhassan said plans were advanced to build quarters for health professionals to enable them to take up posting to the area starting from this year.

The chiefs and people of Agona swedru thanked the organisers for the programme and promised to spread the message across to the community.

Source: GNA