Koforidua, May 30, GNA- Mr. Kwadwo Afram-Asiedu, Eastern Regional Minster, has expressed worry over the undulating trend of maternal mortality in the area.

"The trend of maternal mortality has been quite undulating and frustrating therefore there is the need for concerted efforts to curb the trend," he said.

The Minister who expressed the concern in a speech read on his behalf at the inauguration of the Regional Health Committee in Koforidua charged members of the committee to bring their expertise to bear on the improvement of health in the region.

He disclosed that, as at the end of April this year, 35 maternal deaths had already occurred in health institutions in the region as compared to 146 the whole of last year. Mr Afram-Asiedu observed that the attainment of a middle income status by vision 2015 was tied to health development goals such as reducing maternal and childhood deaths and other diseases. Mr Dua Oyinka, Regional Deputy Administrator of the health directorate, who presented the state of health in the region to the members said the directorate had 21 administrative districts including the four-newly inaugurated ones and 20 hospitals. Again, he said, the region had 53 clinics and health centres, 34 private maternity homes and a ratio of 19,000 patients to one Doctor and 1,196 patients to a nurse in the region.

The eight-member committee had Dr. Osei Agyei, a private medical practitioner in Koforidua as chairman, while Dr Erasmus Adongo, Regional Director of Health Services and the Omanhene of the Boso-Gua Traditional Area, Nana Osei Nyarko were among other members of the committee. The mandate of the committee as granted by act 526 of the Constitution is to advise the Regional Director of Health Services in the performance of service matters relating to health issues in the regions as part of achievement of the Millennium Goals and Visions.