Kumasi, March 28, GNA- Recent demographic figures released by the Ghana National Population Council indicates that out of every 1,000 children, more than 100 die before they turn five years. According to the report, the infants die of the six childhood killer diseases and its complications as well as malaria. These were made known in Kumasi on Friday at a heath workshop organised by the Centre for Development of People (CEDEP), a non-governmental organisation (NGO) for members of civil society organisations, government institutions and other Stakeholders. It was jointly sponsored by the Alliance for Reproductive and Health Rights (ARHR) and the Royal Dutch Embassy on the theme "linking policies with practices and the internalization of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG)."

The workshop aimed at offering a platform for discussions and brainstorming on policies spelt out in the MDG four, five, six which covers reduction of child mortality, combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases as well as improving maternal mortality. Mrs Aba Oppong, Programmes Manager of the Council, said reproductive health was key to development and called on stakeholders to champion its cause to maintain a healthy population in the country. She advised pregnant women to visit ante-natal clinic regularly before and after labour and also attend family planning clinics to enable them to space their births. On HIV/AIDS, Mrs. Oppong called for abstinence and faithfulness in marriages to help prevent its spread.