Koforidua, June 5, GNA - The Eastern Regional Director of Ghana Health Services, Dr Ebenezer Appiah-Denkyira, has appealed to religious groups and traditional rulers to partner health providers to collectively synergies their roles to help curb the high mortality rates, resulting from abortions and pregnancy-related complications in the society.

According to him, last year, the region alone recorded 3,967 abortion cases at the health facilities, while the number of pregnancy-related deaths rose from 109 in 2004 to 157 in 2005. He said many studies had confirmed that almost 30 per cent of maternal deaths in Ghana invariably resulted from complications arising from attempted abortions and the failure of the women to seek proper and timely medical attention to check their conditions.

Dr Appiah-Denkyira addressing a special session of the Akuapem North District Assembly held at Amanokrom on Friday stressed the readiness of health authorities to seek a more sustainable dialogue with religious groups and traditional authorities on how they could jointly assist to help reduce such negative trend.

He said his priority was to get as many decision makers and opinion groups in communities to take charge of their local health needs, so as to reduce the blight of maternal mortality and child morbidity and their consequences on productivity, rather than leaving the situation to health workers alone.

According to the Regional Health Director, the Tetteh Quarshie Memorial Hospital at Mampong, which is the lead health facility in the district, had within the first quarter of the year, registered four maternal deaths, which almost equalled last year's figure of five. Dr Appiah-Denkyira regretted that although Government had heavily subsidized the cost of bed-treated nets to rein in malaria cases, very few people patronized the mosquito repellents to protect their health.

He urged all churches and community leaders to be interested in local health issues and help monitor hospital attendance rates of pregnant women to ensure that they complied with the relevant prescriptions governing ante and post-natal care to ensure the survival of both the baby and the mother. The District Chief Executive, Mr Edward Adu Aboagye, said health remained the mainstay of the people and the Assembly was willing to partner like-minded people to bring health to the door step of the people.

The DCE welcomed proposals by Dr Appiah-Denkyira for the creation of health teams in 30 health zones in the district to better mobilize the people to address any emerging health concerns before they become major public health worries.

The District Director of Health Services, Dr Sophia Winful, said the health authorities expected a more active involvement in their activities by the communities in which they operate.