After 62 years of independence, maternal mortality is still unacceptably and preposterously high in Ghana.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), nearly 830 women die from preventable causes related to pregnancy and child birth complications every day.
In 2015 alone, the UN-stats estimated that 303,000 women died due to complications during pregnancy and childbirth. Almost 99 out 100 of all these deaths occurred in developing countries.
Though there are many other issues as far as women’s health is concerned in Ghana, maternal health with its associated maternal and neonatal mortality is the greatest and the most heart-breaking of all concerns of women’s health in Ghana.
It is against this background that the Second Lady, Samira Bawumia through her foundation, Samira Empowerment & Humanitarian Projects (SEHP), has initiated the SEHP Safe Delivery Project to support and enhance the fight against maternal and neonatal mortality in the East Gonja Municipality of the Northern region.
The SEHP Safe Delivery Project aims to contribute to the reduction of maternal and neonatal mortality through training, education and the provision of well-resourced birth kits to expectant mothers in worst affected communities across Ghana.
It is also a comprehensive approach to tackling the problem of maternal and neonatal mortality. The kits contain supplies including methylated spirit, sterile blade, delivery mat, a pair of sterile gloves, gauze swabs, cord ties, combined dressing, name tag, cord clamp, cord sheet, baby hat and medicated soaps. The kits also include medication to prevent hemorrhaging and vitamins supplements.
These kits, according to the Second Lady will be distributed by trained community based volunteers and health personnel across the country.
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The main objective of this project, according to the Second Lady, is to improve the chances of survival of mothers and newborns, by addressing the causes of maternal and neonatal mortality particularly Postpartum Hemorrhage (bleeding), hypertensive disorders and infections.
Samira Bawumia added that, qualified senior midwives have been tasked to train nurses (SEHP volunteers) and Traditional Birth Attendants (TBA) on how to effectively use the birth kits. This is to ensure safe delivery practices for expectant mothers.