Journalists asked to highlight effects of maternal mortality

The Programme Officer of SEND-Ghana, has appealed to journalists to continue highlighting the effects of maternal and infant mortality rates on the society as the country seeks to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.

Mr John Nkaw said the media should collaborate with civil society organisations (CSOs) toy hold government accountable to improve maternal healthcare delivery.

Mr Nkaw made the appeal in Tamale during a media training workshop on maternal healthcare delivery organised by SEND-GHANA.

The workshop on the theme: “Strengthening partnership with the media for effective maternal healthcare reporting” brought together media practitioners from the Upper East, Upper West and the Northern Region.

The training was to support citizen groups as they work with the media to ensure that their messages get a wider audience.

He said there is the need for CSOs and the media to demand transparency and accountability on financial allocations of maternal health and the effectiveness of service delivery.

Mr Nkaw said there is the need for the training of community health practitioners with more knowledge and skills to ensure better healthcare delivery in their communities.

He called on health personnel to continue their efforts in educating women on the danger signs related to pregnancy and childbirth as well as with new-borns at community level.

Mrs Linda Asante-Agyei, the Treasurer of the Ghana Journalists Association, said lack of knowledge and adequate information on the danger signs in pregnancy is one of the factors leading to the current rate of maternal mortality in the country.

She said health institutions need to collaborate effectively with the media in the fight against maternal mortality in the country.

She said: “Childbirth should be a joyous moment in every woman's life and not a moment of agony and regret.”

Mr Joel Nyaaba, Health Promotion Officer at the Northern Regional Health Directorate, said the community health committees need to be part of the health delivery system to help them understand maternal mortality rate issues.