Biriwa (C/R), June 2, GNA - Free child delivery programme, under which deliveries at health institutions in Northern, Upper East, Upper West and Central Regions are done free of charge, was launched in Mfantseman District at Biriwa on Tuesday.

The programme, which is being funded through the HIPC Fund is being practised in the four regions due to high rate of maternal mortality as a result of the people's inability to patronise health facilities due to poverty.

Speaking at the launch, Mr. Robert Quainoo-Arthur, the Mfantseman District Chief Executive cautioned the people against taking the advantage of the programme to produce children they could not effectively cater for.

Mr. Quainoo-Arthur admonished people of the region to strive to come out of poverty, adding, "we should not be proud of our region being labelled as poor."

He advised them to invest in education of their children as a way of coming out of the vicious poverty circle.

The DCE exhorted them to do away with litigations which, he said, retarded progress.

He advised the people to patronise the National Insurance Scheme to enable them to access quality health care.

Mr. Quainoo-Arthur called for peaceful electioneering campaign and elections, adding that investors were waiting to see how the elections would be conducted to enable them to take decision on whether to invest in the country or not.

Dr. Simpson Anim Boateng, Cape Coast Municipal Director of Ghana Health Service, who was the immediate past Director of Mfantseman District said the district received 533 million cedis from the HIPC fund for payment of medical bills for pregnant women and those who delivered at health facilities.

He said the district recorded only one maternal death since the programme started in October last year.

Mr. Francis Zuradam Sareeson, the District Disease Control Officer said the district has recorded impressive increase in number of deliveries from 36 a month to 134 in May.

Mrs Trinity Brown, a Senior Community Health Nurse assured Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) that they would not be thrown out of jobs since not all communities had easy access to health facilities. Mrs Brown however cautioned them to perform their duties according to the laid down regulations.