Korea invest $6 million in health

Maternal and Child Health care in the Volta Region is to improve tremendously with a $6 million grant from the Korea International Cooperation Agency.

The grant is under the project dubbed: Improving Maternal and Child Health in the Volta Region.

The project would among others establish midwifery and community health nursing institutions, upgrade the skills of health personnel in the region, educate people on the need for antenatal care, hold capacity building programmes, and also improve on health facilities in the region.

Mr Oho Kwanggeol, Resident Representative, KOICA, who was speaking during the signing of a memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Health and KOICA, indicated that the move came about after a feasibility studies conducted in May by KOICA and the Ministry showed unfavourable findings on access to good health in the region.

The feasibility studies which were carried out in Keta, Ketu North and Ketu South, indicated that more than 1/3 of pregnant women visited antenatal clinics in their second trimester, more than 80 per cent of pregnant women made four or more antenatal care visits.

Others findings were low knowledge on signs and symptoms of pregnancy complication, people’s refusal to deliver at health centres, limited health personnel involvement in maternal and child health, and also lack of essential tools and materials at health facilities.

He said the projects, which would be spread across the region, would commence immediately after the signing and would be completed in 2017.

Madam Sherry Ayittey, Minister of Health, said the initiative would help Ghana in the attainment of Millennium Development Goal 4 which is about reducing maternal and child mortality.

She expressed satisfaction particularly with the establishment of a midwifery training school as a lot of midwives in the country are growing, therefore, necessitating for the training of new hands.