Stakeholders eulogize Socioserve-Ghana for MOCAMI project

Stakeholders, involving traditional leaders, some Members of Parliament, community members and health officers, could not hide their joy but showered praises to Socioserve-Ghana, a non-governmental organization (NGO), for implementing a timely intervention project dubbed, “Mobilising Community Action towards Maternal Health Improvement (MOCAMI)” in their areas.

The project, which aimed at equipping community members to demand for accountability and to increase responsiveness from health service providers within selected project districts in the Eastern Region on maternal health delivery, ended up exceeding the stakeholders’ expectations.

The MOCAMI project had contributed in reducing mortality in Eastern Region from 166 to 113 for 2012 and 2014 respectively.

As a result, maternal health improved and reduced mortality in the project areas appreciably due to the responsive structures put in place by the NGO.

The Birim Central Municipal for instance, as at December 2014, had recorded no mortality while Lower Manya Krobo which had recorded seven maternal deaths in 2013 and more in 2012 reduced deaths to two in 2014.

Ms Mavis Ama Frimpong, the Deputy Eastern Regional Minister, in a speech made on her behalf, at the MOCAMI close-out meeting with stakeholders in Koforidua, applauded Socioserve-Ghana for a good work done.

She admired how the MOCAMI project inspired community empowerment and sensitization as well as service provision by bringing together traditional leaders, community members and political actors to address maternal health delivery challenges.

The Deputy Regional Minister however expressed worry how such a very timely and beneficial project only had a lifespan of two years, adding that, the project needed to be expanded to other communities in the region.

Ms Ama Frimpong pledged the support of the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) to help the NGO to woo the donors to revive support in expanding the MOCAMI project, but also appealed to community members and opinion leaders as well as the health officers to endeavour to sustain the project.

Nana Oduro Kwarteng, Chief of Anweam in the Kwaebibirem District, expressing appreciation to Socioserve-Ghana maintained that the project had helped his community.

He said due to its advocacy nature, community leaders and members were able to raise GH¢ 7,000.00 by themselves to renovate a Community-based Health Planning Services (CHPS) centre at Anweam.

Nana Kwarteng pledged to work hard at maintaining the communal spirit of his people through the inspiration from Socioserve-Ghana to continue to contribute towards maternal health improvement at Anweam.

Mr William Agyapong Quaittoo, Member of Parliament (MP) for Oda and Mr Okletey Terlabi, MP for Lower Manya Krobo, were full of praise to Socioserve-Ghana for implementing such a project in their constituencies.

The MOCAMI project had inspired them to channel some of their personal and common funds to construct CHPS centres, provide electricity and potable water to some health centres in their respective constituencies.

Mr Kwaittoo posited that two years of such impactful project was not enough and therefore appealed to Star-Ghana and its donors to support the NGO once again to continue with and expand it.

Mrs Josephine Sackey, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Socioserve-Ghana thanked all stakeholders for their immense support in making the project a success.

“We believed in teaching community members how to fish than giving them the fish; I know the project will be sustained because we were able to get the people to act for themselves,” she expressed.

Socioserve-Ghana, in partnership with Rite fm, a radio station based in Somaya, implemented the MOCAMI project, supported by Star-Ghana with funding from United Kingdom (UK) aid, United States (US) aid, European Union and Danish Development Agency (DANIDA).

The project was implemented in 30 communities within five Districts in the region, namely, Asuogyaman, Lower Manya Krobo, Kwaebibirem, Kwahu West and Birim Central from February 2013 to January 2015.