Maternal mortality rate dips in Central Region

Health facilities in the Central Region have made significant strides in reducing maternal mortality from 126 in the year 2018 to 105 in 2019, representing 27 percent reduction.

Dr Akosua Agyeiwaa Owusu-Sarpong, Regional Health Director, who announced this indicated that even though the feat was remarkable, health facilities in the Region should not be complacent but go all out to achieve zero maternal deaths.

She was speaking at the opening of the 2019 Regional Health Performance Review Conference held in Cape Coast on Tuesday.

The three-day conference themed: "Achieving universal health coverage, through excellence in health services delivery", assembled scores of stakeholders from the health fraternity, religious organizations, Regional Coordinating Council and the media.

Reflecting on results from the Region's efforts at improving the health status and conditions of women and children, Dr Owusu-Sarpong said maternal and child health performance indicators were positive.

Family planning acceptor rate increased from 32.6 percent in 2018 to 35.3 percent in 2019, while the proportion of deliveries attended by trained heath workers stagnated around 65 percent in 2018 and 2019.

Similarly, the proportion of mothers who made at least four antenatal care visits increased from 76.9 percent in 2018 to 81.6 percent in 2019.

The Regional Director of the Ghana Health Service called for more help to sustain gains on Extended Programme on Immunizations (EPI) as it saw marked improvement in Penta three coverage from 91.7 percent in 2018 to 94.9 in 2019.

Measles Rubella two coverage improved from 78 percent in 2018 to 81.4 percent in 2019.

The Region had also provided geographical access to healthcare with keen support from government- covering nearly 70 percent communities through the Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS).

That formed integral part of the sector Ministry's stepped-up efforts being undertaken to make Universal Health Care (UHC) Package accessible throughout the country by 2030, to improve the quality of care.

The UHC Package is expected to be a set of health services that meets the health needs and aspirations of every Ghanaian irrespective of their age, gender and social status - ensuring access to curative and preventive services, which took care of common diseases.

She mentioned some challenges confronting quality healthcare services in the Region to include inadequate health staff of essential services, particularly medical Doctors, transport and logistics, infrastructure and delay in reimbursement of the National Health Insurance claims by facilities.

In that regard, she called for a concerted effort from all stakeholders to improve health care services and take pragmatic measures to attract and retain essential health personnel especially Medical Doctors.

Mr Kwamena Duncan, the Regional Minister who opened the Conference, commended the GHS for its immerse successes chalked regardless of the issues confronting.

He urged all to be committed and bring their leadership to bear to ensure efficient healthcare delivery in the Region.

The media should also use its medium in educating the public on preventable diseases to help cut down avoidable deaths.