The Fanteakwa District Health Directorate has ramp-up efforts at promoting family planning (FP) acceptance in the area to bring down maternal deaths.

This involves combination of public education campaign and drastic reduction of cost of FP services.

FP services can now be accessed at the designated health facilities at a fee of only GH?1.00 from the previous high of GH?10.00.

The health directorate has been working in partnership with “R3M” (reducing maternal mortality and morbidity), an NGO, to achieve the goal.

Dr. Christian Nyarko Aduama, the District Health Director, said they would go to every length to substantially expand FP coverage in the area.

Last year’s total coverage came to 30.3 per cent and for the first half of 2016, 22 per cent coverage was achieved.

Dr. Aduama said “nothing could be more heart-breaking than to see a woman die whilst giving life”.

Fanteakwa in 2015 recorded four maternal deaths, one more than the previous year’s figure.

It has already seen two maternal deaths this year.

Dr. Aduama thanked the NGO for its tremendous support - training of health personnel to improve the quality of services, awareness creation and subsidizing FP services.

The Programme Coordinator of R3M, Madam Millicent Anum, said her Organization was eager to aid people to accept FP methods to reduce maternal deaths, unwanted pregnancies and unsafe abortion.