Good Maternal Health Care Advocated

MARIE STOPES INTERNATIONAL, a maternal health advocacy group has urged government to consider investing more in family planning programmes to ensure the total protection of women against maternal health risks.

The group believes that proper investment in that area would make maternal heath services and contraceptives more accessible and affordable to women.

Dana Hovig, Chief Executive Officer of Marie Stopes Inter national, who called on the Vice President, John Mahama at the Osu Castle, lamented over the need for increased investment in maternal health.

Mr. Hovig after holding discussions with the Vice President told the media that there so many challenges associated with maternal health and family planning in Ghana and called for concerted efforts to address such challenges to save the lives of women.

He said Marie Stopes International, which started working in Ghana two years ago, has protected 30,000 women across the country against unwanted pregnancies and unsafe abortions through its health support programmes.

The organisation, which advocates increased use of contraceptives as a way of avoiding unwanted pregnancies and unsafe abortions, believes that more needs to be done to reduce maternal deaths in the country.

Faustina Fynn-Nyame, Country Director of Marie Stopes, which is based in London, said the organisation was collaborating with the Ghana Health Service to make maternal health services and alternative family planning methods more accessible and affordable.

She thanked the Vice President for the assurance that government would support the organization and the quest to help reduce maternal mortality in the country.

By Wisdom Peter Awuku