Sunyani, April 2, GNA- Mr Ignatius Baffour Awuah, Regional Minister, said cases of maternal mortality in the Brong-Ahafo Region, have dropped from 113 per every 1,000 persons in the year 2006 to 88 per every 1,000 persons last year.

He, however, commended midwives for working hard to giving practical meaning to government's objective of creating wealth through good health and attaining the regional goal of zero tolerance for maternal mortality by the year 2015.

Mr. Baffour-Awuah said these in a speech read on his behalf at the national launch of this year's International Day of the Midwife at Techiman, under the theme, "A healthy family: a key to the future." He said the good performance of health care providers, especially midwives could lead to a reduction of maternal mortality rate in the region and called on all to adopt healthy lifestyles.

Mr Baffour-Awuah urged the public to take their health seriously and gave the assurance that steps would be initiated to hasten the payment of claims for health care providers under the Health Insurance Scheme. Mrs Ernestina Djokotoe, president of Ghana Registered Midwives Association, observed that midwifery care was unique as it influenced the health of future generations.

"Midwifery care for women and babies is an investment in the family and community and promotes the healthy growth and wellbeing of present and future generations", she said.

Mrs Djokotoe urged her colleagues to introduce integrated maternal health by screening pregnant women for HIV/AIDS to prevent mother-to-child transmission.

Mrs Christiana Annor-Appiah, regional chairperson of the association, appealed to the Ministry of Heath and Ghana Health Services to include private midwives in the vehicle purchasing scheme for health workers to facilitate their operations. "Such assistance will go a long way to reduce the undesirable high incidence of maternal mortality in the country", she noted.