Ms Sherry Ayittey, Minister of Health, has disclosed that Ghana had chalked significant successes in child health promotions by recording zeros in some key child health promotion targets.
She indicated that the achievements reflected in the eradication of polio cases in Ghana since 2008, and zero record of measles since 2002, as well as remarkable decrease in malaria cases among children resulting in 30 per cent of under five mortality recorded in 2003 and 2008 by the Demographic and health survey Department.
The Minister made the disclosure when she launched the 2014 National Child Health Promotion Week. The occasion was also used to commemorate the 10th anniversary of child health promotion to ensure that children under five survived and were healthy.
Highlighting further the achievements chalked by the country over the years in child health promotion, she said there had been steady increase in the immunizations of children under two years, increase in vitamin A supplementation and bed net usage by under fives.
The Minster indicated that stagnation of neonatal mortality of 32 / 1000 Live Births (LB) in 2011 had become important component of child health, accounting for 40 per cent under five in Ghana, and said it required more efforts to address the situation hence the theme: “unite to save newborns; a promise renewed,” was vital.
Ms Ayittey attributed the feat to the collaboration of stakeholders and singled out contributions from UNICEF, WHO and USAID as paramount in the successes chalked.
The Minister conceded that there was generally low patronage of birth registration nationwide, and suggested the establishment of births and deaths registries at all maternity units to enable mothers register their new born babies at birth in close collaboration with traditional authorities to serve as advocacy and encourage births and deaths registration.
She pledged government's commitment to construct additional 15 Community Health Promotion compounds (CHPS) in the Upper East Region to accelerate child health services.
She said the establishment of these compounds would be supported with the training of more Physicians and Physician Assistants to be assigned to the compounds to have direct contact with mothers and clients in the communities as a way of improving services.
Dr Koku Awinnor-Williams, Upper East Regional Director of Health services, said re-emergence of measles, isolated cases of yellow fever, rubella and persistent prevalence of malnutrition particularly in the three northern regions still required strategies such as child health promotion week and intensive campaigns to fully eliminate them.
He outlined the week-long celebration to include the provision of opportunities for a comprehensive package service to children 0-59 months, and to bridge critical service delivery gaps by immunizing children, trace defaulters, make home visits and provide health education to households and communities.
The Health Director said the region would ensure that campaigns on newly introduced vaccines such as ROTA, PCV and MSD and measles rubella be stepped up, to give every targeted child the opportunity to be catered for.
Dr Ephraim Avea Nsoh, Upper East Regional Minister, welcoming participants to the launch, noted the immense benefits the country has enjoyed from the child health promotion programme a decade ago, and emphasized on reducing child mortality in the region.
