Lawra (U/W), Jan. 15, GNA- Infant mortality is gradually reducing in the Upper West Region mainly due to sustained educational programmes undertaken over the years, Mrs Mellany Buckma, Lawra Acting District Director of Health Services has said.

She said while a total of 851 deaths were recorded at birth in every 100,000 births in the Upper West Region in 2000, followed by 351 in 2001, only 248 deaths out of 100,000 deliveries were recorded at the end of 2002, a reduction from 12 percent to six percent.

Mrs Buckma said this at Lawra during the launch of safe motherhood programme to sensitise the people on the need to attend antenatal, postnatal clinics and other routine check-ups.

The Acting District Director attributed the reduction to sustained educational programmes on safe motherhood and other child and maternal issues in the entire region, especially in the Lawra District.

Mrs Buckma said most of the deaths were recorded through haemorrhage, obstructed labour, infections, induced hypertension and complications arising out of unsafe abortion.

She called on heads of families to ensure that problems of that nature were sent to the health facilities on time.

She also attributed the delays to inaccessible roads and lack of transport particularly in the rural areas.

Mrs Buckma urged heads of families to help in nourishing the nutrition of pregnant women by allowing them to eat enough meat and eggs.

Mr Sylvannus Ganfaa, Lawra District Chief Executive, said the government was investing so much on health facilities and called on them to patronise the facilities. He said poverty, illiteracy and ignorance were responsible for the deaths hence the government's determination to introduce, National Health Insurance Scheme.

Dr Erasmus Agongo, Regional Director of Health Service called for concerted efforts from, health, donor partners and all other workers to reduce child maternal deaths.