Ajumako (C/R), July 14, GNA - Mrs Mariam Musah, a resource person with Hope for Future Generation, a Non-governmental Organisation (NGO) has appealed to government to make funds available to the health sector to help reduce maternal deaths to the barest minimum level by 2015. She said there is the need for intensive educational programmes in the communities and hard work by health personnel and other establishments to achieve the required result.

Mrs Musah said this in her presentation at a-day's 'Advocacy Training on Maternal and Child Health' at Ajumako. She was speaking on the topic: "Basic facts about maternal and child health, why we need to advocate for allocation of resources for maternal and child health issues".

Fifty participants drawn from Agona Swedru, Mfantsiman, Cape Coast, Breman Asikuma and Ajumako districts attended.

They were made up of Non-Governmental Organisations engaged in health activities in the Central Region, chiefs and queen mothers, assembly members and heads of department and institutions. The Programme was organised by the NGO in collaboration with Society for Women and AIDS in Africa (SWAA), also an NGO. It was aimed at equipping the participants with skills and knowledge to help protect pregnant women and newly born babies. The programme was also held to select people to represent the Central Region at the National Advocacy Committee on Maternal Death. Mrs Musah called for rehabilitation of roads in the rural areas to ensure easy and early transportation of expectant mothers to the health facilities, to help reduce maternal death. She also called for the provision of good drinking water in the rural area to ensure good health of the people especially expectant mothers. There should be transparency in the disbursement of funds to address health problems, to help minimize maternal death cases, she said.

Mr Fidelies Edem Anumu, Programme Manager of the NGO urged the participants to use the knowledge and skills acquired to promote the welfare of pregnant women in their various communities. 14 July 09