110 maternal deaths in 2007 in Kumasi

Kumasi, May 22, GNA - Kumasi Metropolitan Directorate of Health Services recorded 110 maternal deaths last year and between January and March this year recorded 30 so far.

Dr Joseph Kwame Oduro, Kumasi Metropolitan Director of Health Services who disclosed this attributed the deaths to unsafe abortions, anaemia, ectopic and heart failure.

Dr Oduro was addressing members of Ashanti Regional branch of Queen Mothers Association and leaders of some identifiable Women Groups at a day's seminar jointly organised by the Ghana Health Services and Department of Women, under the Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs in Kumasi on Wednesday.

The seminar attended by about 40 participants including queen mothers, women leaders and other stakeholders was under the theme "Reducing under Five and Maternal Mortality, the Role of Queen mothers." Dr Oduro revealed that 1,073 children died in 2005, 2,483 in 2006 and 2,424 in 2007 and said they were caused by malaria, lack of proper care during pregnancy and after birth by the mothers. He therefore, called on parents to properly plan their families to ensure that their children were properly cared for. Mrs Alice Botchway, Ashanti Regional Director of Department of Women expressed appreciation to President John Agyekum Kuffour for instituting safe motherhood concepts among women. These include free treatment for pregnant women in line with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to help reduce child mortality rate by two-thirds and maternal mortality by three-fourths by 2015. Mrs Botchway explained that such support was appropriate since women were vulnerable in childbearing and should be equipped economically to help them maintain their families. She urged the participants to spread the massage to their colleagues to ensure reduction in mortality among women and children. Dr Kofi Asare, Ashanti Regional Director of Health Services, called on religious leaders to encourage their members to use health facilities after they had sought for spiritual attention to improve their health status.

He appealed to parents to discipline their children to stay away from sexual promiscuity. Nana Yaa Pokuaa, Queen Mother of Adum in Kumasi called on the Ghana Medical Association and Government to institute measures to eliminate fake medical practitioners from the society. 22 May 08