Team to help reduce maternal mortality inaugurated
By GNA - Ghana News Agency Health | Tue, 10 Jun 2008
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In an effort to reduce the high rate of maternal mortality in the country, the Ministry of Health (MOH) has set up a Task Team which would mobilize financial and technical resource, monitor its progress and also advice the sector minister adequately.
Some of the organizations of the Task Team include the Ministry of Health, Ghana Registered Nurses Association, National Health Insurance Scheme, Ghana Health Service, Databank and Ghana Highway Authority.
This measure is in line with the attainment of the fifth Millennium Development Goal, which entreats all developing countries to reduce maternal mortality by three-quarters by the end of 2010.
Inaugurating the 17-member Task Force on Tuesday, Major Courage Quashigah (Rtd), the sector Minister, said expert advice indicated that maternal mortality could be reduced if qualified midwives could assist pregnant women to give birth.
“Ensuring that women deliver in safe environment and are assisted by competent health professionals is a human right issue,” he added.
Major Quashigah noted that the current supervised delivery coverage of 35 per cent nationwide was highly appalling hence the need to put measures in place to address the problem.
He said the government had already shown its commitment to safe delivery of pregnant women by making child birth free at all government hospitals.
The policy, he said, would be implemented through the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and all pregnant women would be exempted from paying NHIS premiums.
“We will also waive up the six months mandatory waiting period under this scheme so that pregnant women can enjoy the services immediately,” he said.
He charged the team to help the ministry double the coverage of supervised delivery by the end of 2010, ensure that women had access to emergency obstetrics care and also receive quality ante- and post-natal care.
Enumerating other tasks of the Task Team, Dr. Edmond Addai, Director of Policy Planning and Monitoring Evaluation, MOH, said it would play a lead role in the organization of the National Consultative Conference for the reduction of maternal mortality.
He said the team which was expected to work for a period of two years would also report every six months to the Minster of Health on progress made towards the reduction of maternal mortality. Source: GNA - Ghana News Agency
Some of the organizations of the Task Team include the Ministry of Health, Ghana Registered Nurses Association, National Health Insurance Scheme, Ghana Health Service, Databank and Ghana Highway Authority.
This measure is in line with the attainment of the fifth Millennium Development Goal, which entreats all developing countries to reduce maternal mortality by three-quarters by the end of 2010.
Inaugurating the 17-member Task Force on Tuesday, Major Courage Quashigah (Rtd), the sector Minister, said expert advice indicated that maternal mortality could be reduced if qualified midwives could assist pregnant women to give birth.
“Ensuring that women deliver in safe environment and are assisted by competent health professionals is a human right issue,” he added.
Major Quashigah noted that the current supervised delivery coverage of 35 per cent nationwide was highly appalling hence the need to put measures in place to address the problem.
He said the government had already shown its commitment to safe delivery of pregnant women by making child birth free at all government hospitals.
The policy, he said, would be implemented through the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and all pregnant women would be exempted from paying NHIS premiums.
“We will also waive up the six months mandatory waiting period under this scheme so that pregnant women can enjoy the services immediately,” he said.
He charged the team to help the ministry double the coverage of supervised delivery by the end of 2010, ensure that women had access to emergency obstetrics care and also receive quality ante- and post-natal care.
Enumerating other tasks of the Task Team, Dr. Edmond Addai, Director of Policy Planning and Monitoring Evaluation, MOH, said it would play a lead role in the organization of the National Consultative Conference for the reduction of maternal mortality.
He said the team which was expected to work for a period of two years would also report every six months to the Minster of Health on progress made towards the reduction of maternal mortality. Source: GNA - Ghana News Agency
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