War on maternal mortality intensified in C/R

Apam(C/R), May 15, GNA - Queenmothers, organized women's groups and opinion leaders in the Central Region have been urged to form task forces to discuss matters affecting expectant women on a regular basis. Dr Charles Ntiamoah Takyi, Medical Superintendent In-Charge of Apam Catholic Mission Hospital and leader of the Central Region Task Force on Maternal Mortality, made the call at Apam at the weekend.

Dr Takyi, who is also a leading resource person on Reproductive Health in the Region, extended a similar call to the group fighting for the speedy adaptation of the Domestic Violence Bill, which seeks to give adequate protection to women.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Dr Takyi further stressed the need for midwives most of who had themselves gone through delivery, to be more receptive to their compatriots.

Dr Takyi said Queenmothers, non-governmental organizations, women's groups, and opinion leaders in the Region should organize regular fora to sensitize men on the need to pay serious attention to the well-being of pregnant women.

He said the war, which the Regional Directorate had waged on Maternal Mortality could not succeed without the active participation of all stakeholders.

Dr Takyi commended the Regional Director of Health Services, Dr Aaron Offei, and the Deputy Director of Reproductive Health, Dr Henrietta Odoi- Agyarko for their leadership roles, which had culminated in the reduction of the maternal mortality rate in the Region in the last few years.

He expressed the hope that the two directors would continue to offer members of the Regional Task Force, the regional monitoring and the regional maternal mortality auditing teams the necessary moral and other support to make their work fruitful.