Akim Oda, Mar.29, GNA - The government has directed that all deliveries in public health institutions and private maternal homes in the Eastern Region should be free.

The Birim South District Director of Health Services, Dr Yao Okyere, who announced this at District Health Revew meeting at Akim Oda on Tuesday said, the gesture by the government was aimed at reducing cases of maternal mortality to the barest minimum. The meeting was attended by Community Based Surveillance Volunteers(CBSV), Traditional Birth Attendants(TBAs) and Sub-District Health Teams(SDHT).

Dr Okyere said in government health institutions, the government is absorbing the 80,000 cedis cost per each delivery whiles it is to pay 120,000 cedis being cost of delivery in private maternal homes.

He said in a situation where pregnant women had to undergo an operation, the government would bear the cost of 850,000 cedis. The participants discussed, among other things, health issues pertaining to their communities and the revision of last year's community register for vital events among others.

The Akim Oda Government Hospital Matron, Ms. Comfort Owusu-Ansah stated that with the laudable government health police in place, there was no reason why a pregnant woman would choose to give birth at home with its attendant risk.

She appealed to the participants to educate the rural communities on the policy to ensure good health for all pregnant women. Ms Owusu-Ansah expressed concern about the activities of quack doctors in the communities and advised that their activities be closely monitored to help flush them out.

During the presentation by the CBSV from the various communities, malaria was identified as the leading cause of deaths, while diseases such as guinea worm, measles and tetanus had been completely eradicated in the district.

Later, there was demonstration on the use of insecticide-treated mosquito nets as well as the need to consume iodated salt.