Midwives association celebrates golden jubilee

The Ghana Registered Midwives Association, (GRMA) on Thursday climaxed its golden Jubilee celebration with a durbar and a fundraising programme to solicit funds for the take off of its Safe Motherhood Training Institute Complex.

The ultra modern complex, to be named the "Jubilee House" when completed, would help promote the practice of midwifery and related issues to enable midwives to give quality care and ensure skilled attendance at births throughout the country.

The 50th anniversary celebration, on the theme: "Safe Birth, The Right of Every Woman" afforded members of GRMA the opportunity to examine and recommit the Association to the fight towards safe motherhood.

Mrs Kathylyn Ababio, President of the Association, said since maternal mortality ratio and the proportion of deliveries with skilled health care provider go hand in hand, there was the need to ensure that "a skilled attendant is present at every delivery".

She said death as a result of pregnancy or its related causes, was the most painful event and that there was the need for a concerted effort to curb the situation.

"Safe motherhood also requires a collaborative action on the part of the woman, her family, her community, non-governmental organisations, the health care system, government and other partners," she said.

She said midwives needed continuing education in community service to enable them to maximize access, quality care and ensure skilled attendance at birth.

Mrs Ababio urged midwives to play their roles effectively and to use advocacy skills to target policy makers with information on safe motherhood.

She also appealed to the media to focus on safe motherhood crusade, adding that traditional rulers could also play a role by instituting savings scheme to help women in labour.

Sheik Ibrahim C. Quaye, Greater Accra Regional Minister, commended the midwives for their important role in society and appealed for support for them to be able to establish more maternity homes in rural, deprived and difficult to reach areas to enhance access to scientific midwifery.

There were fraternal messages from the other health partners, Chiefs and some traditional rulers in the Greater Accra Region.