NGO lauds First Lady for giant steps in neonatal, maternal healthcare; calls for national resolve

A US-based children’s medical services charity, Amazing Grace Children’s Foundation, AGCF has lauded Ghana’s First Lady, Mrs Rebecca Akufo-Addo and her Foundation for demonstrating commitment to the healthcare of children and mothers in Ghana.

The congratulatory message was contained in a statement released by the NGO on Thursday, May 16, and signed by its Founder, Dr Gloria Nimo.

The First Lady, on Wednesday, May 15 commissioned a fully equipped 41-bed state-of-the-art Neonatal and Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) built by her Foundation for the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) in Accra.

Also, in January last year, the Rebecca Foundation of which the First Lady is the Executive Director donated a Baby and Mother Block to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi.

The NGO, in the missive, acknowledged the interventions made by Mrs Akufo-Addo and her Foundation, as it also called on the Government of Ghana to increase efforts particularly at addressing children and mothers’ healthcare issues.

It indicated that the lack of Infrastructure and resource for paediatric care contributed majorly to the concerning rate of newborn and maternal mortality and morbidity in Ghana, hence the need focus attention at addressing that.

It added that the facilities would not only help improve access to healthcare for children but also create a safe environment for the delivery of specialist services to mothers and infants.

It further stated that the country was in critical need of such interventions to help close the gap in its pursuit of improved healthcare for its neonatal and maternal population in meeting the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs.

“it is very encouraging to have such profound interventions as made by the First Lady and her Foundation for the welfare of our women and children, however the Ghana government ought to increase efforts at addressing the problem,” the statement maintained.

The organisation has called on other Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in health as well as stakeholders in the sector to actively play their roles to complement Government’s effort at improving healthcare delivery in the country.