New Maternal and Child Health Campaign Launched

Accra, Nov.19, GNA - Ghana must use high impact and cost effective child health interventions to enable the country achieve its Millennium Development Goals by 2015. Mr. Gordon Wetherell, British High Commissioner stated this in Accra on Monday at the launch of an Integrated Maternal and Child Health campaign.

Mr. Wetherell said the United Kingdom was committed to support national healthcare plans and the health systems of poor countries. He said an Integrated Child Health Campaign was carried out in November 2006 to ensure the distribution of long-lasting insecticide treated bed nets (LLINS) for children under two years. "With the new integrated Maternal and Child Health Campaign, the Department for International Development (DFID) is 2.75 million pounds support for the procurement of Bed nets and operational support for the campaign which would now benefit children under one year and pregnant women. "The Beneficiaries will receive a bed net during the campaign." he added.

Mr. Wethrell expressed hope that in the next 3 years, the lives of over 25,000 young ones would be saved from malaria. Dr. Kwadwo Odei Antwi-Agyei, National Programme Manager for Immunisations noted that there had been no recorded deaths of Measles in Ghana in the past four years.

Dr. Antwi-Agyei mentioned Polio Vaccination, Vitamin A supplementation, Deworming, Provision of Long Lasting Insecticide Nets, and birth registration as some the measures being put in place to improve the health and well-being of women and children this year. As part of activities marking the launch, a delegation from DFID, United States Agency for International Development (USAID), United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and the British Embassy visited the La General Hospital and interacted with patients at the Antenatal and HIV/AIDS treatment units. They were conducted round by Dr. Patrick Frimpong, the Medical Superintendent of the hospital who briefed them on the operations at the hospital. The delegation gave out bed nets to some mothers at the hospital as part of efforts to promote the new campaign. 19 Nov. 07