Coalition Of Health NGOS Launches MAF Project …Towards Accelerated Realization Of MDG 5 Target

THE GHANA Coalition of NGOs in Health (GCNH) has launch the Millennium Accountability Fund (MAF) project which it initiated and is being funded by Strengthening Transparency, Accountability and Responsiveness ( STAR) - Ghana, to track budget  allocation, disbursement and spending on skilled delivery and EMONC to accelerate the realization of the MDG 5 target.

 
It is to ensure the attainment of MDG goals, especially those in health related areas set for achievement under MDG-5 by 2015. .

 
The Ashanti Regional Minister, Eric Opoku, who launched the initiative last week Thursday, urged Ghanaians to join the fight against maternal mortality, still birth and other irregularities in the Ghanaian health sector.

 
Mr. Samuel Orraca-Tetteh, the Regional Chairman of GCNH, said the MDG accelerated framework (MAF) was developed by the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service, in collaboration with development partners with the focus of redoubling efforts to overcome bottlenecks in implementing interventions that have proven to work in reducing maternal mortality rate in Ghana, towards attaining MDG 5 by 2015.

 
According to him, MAF focuses on implementing maternal health, both at community and health facility level, through the use of evidence based, feasible and cost effective interventions in order to achieve accelerated reduction and maternal newborn death.

 
He noted that the project will be implemented in three districts, namely Amansie West District, Obuasi Municipal and Kumasi Metropolis.

 
Mr. Orraca-Tetteh said 'Facilities in these selected districts will be monitored to ensure transparency and accountability in the utilization of resources to ensure equity and value for money.

 
He said the project also seeks to monitor spending from national through to the district and communities to ensure that the objectives of the MAF intervention are met.

 
The Regional GCNH chairman also called on the government to encourage development of public-private concept to contribute towards attainment of projected health indicators for the reduction of maternal and neonatal mortality rates towards MDG 4 and 5 goals.

 
Dr. Kwasi Yeboah-Awudzi, Kumasi Metropolitan Director of Ghana Health Services (GHS), who represented the Ashanti Regional Health Directorate, said antenatal care in Kumasi Metropolis is 85%, but delivering is 50%, whilst still birth is on the rise.

 
He indicated that the Regional Health directorate has allocated some money for the training of midwifes and doctors from the first trench of money they have received in the fight against maternal mortality.