Tamale, (Northern Region). 17 Sept,

About half a million women in the world die from pregnancy-related complications every year while 20 million others suffer chronic and long lasting disabilities. Mrs Lovia Owusu-Asiedu, President of Ghana Registered Midwives' Association (GRMA) who disclosed this in Tamale yesterday, described as equally disturbing the eight million infants who die during the same period within the first month of life. She was addressing the first biennial general meeting of the association on the theme "women are dying, midwives, take action". The five-day meeting is dilating on issues like the effects of herbal medicine on labour, the national health insurance scheme, female circumcision and prevention of maternal mortality. It will also elect a new executive committee. Mrs Owusu-Asiedu said about 90 per cent of these preventable deaths occur in the developing world with Ghana recording a high maternal mortality rate of 214 per 100,000 births. She suggested the need for the provision of quality and accessible health care delivery systems at the community level and the commitment of midwives and other health providers to educate the people about the signs and symptoms that lead to the deaths Mrs Owusu-Asiedu appealed to the Ministry of Health to motivate midwives willing to work in remote rural communities with logistics and financial assistance. Mrs Stella Nyinah of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), said a study by her outfit at the Kassena-Nankana District indicates that 800 per 100,000 maternal deaths occur yearly mainly through abortion. She said UNICEF's life-saving skills programme has enhanced the performance of midwives to help reverse the trend. Mrs Emma Helen Banga, President of the Ghana Registered Nurses' Association (GRNA) said it was important for nurses and midwives to work in partnership to facilitate the provision of information and guidance to the youth on safe sexual practices. She said the GRNA in conjunction with the Commonwealth Secretariat, will be organising an international workshop on nursing leadership in Accra to draw up an action plan on nursing and midwifery. Mrs Ernestina Djokotoe, Northern Regional Chairperson of the GRMA observed that contemporary demands of society have made it imperative for appropriate means of upgrading the skills of midwives to provide an integrated and reliable services.