Blood donors in Upper West Region scared of HIV

Wa, Aug. 18, GNA - Dr Daniel Yeyemen, Senior Medical Officer in charge of Public Health, in the Upper West Region, said on Tuesday that a number of voluntary blood donors in the Region, were been discouraged by the fear of been detected as HIV positive.

As a result, it has become difficult getting blood for pregnant women who suffer haemorrhage (bleeding) during delivery. Dr Yeyemen was speaking on the topic: Safe Motherhood as Every Ones Responsibility, at a day's stakeholder's seminar, organised by the Regional Secretariat of the National Population Advisory Committee. Dr Yeyemen said the Northern, Upper East, Upper West and the Central Regions had been contributing negatively to the over all health status of the country due to high infant and maternal mortality rates. He said health personnel in Upper West, have been listed to benefit from incentives packages that include means of vehicles.

Mr Mark Abugnaba, Acting Regional Population Officer, said the Region recorded a decrease in maternal deaths from 42 per 10,000 life births in 2001 to 10 per 10,000 in 2003.

Mr Abugnaba mentioned the major causes of maternal deaths as haemorrhage, pregnancy induced hypertension, abortions and sepsis.