Kumasi, June 23, GNA - Dr. Joseph Oduro, Ashanti Regional Deputy Director in-charge of Public Health, has said health issues should not be the concern of health personnel alone.

He has therefore appealed to civil society organizations, churches and others to be deeply involved in such issues to improve health delivery. Dr. Oduro was speaking at health forum on maternal health jointly organized by the Ashanti Regional Directorate of Health and the Coalition of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in Kumasi. He said the Ashanti Regional Directorate of Health Service recorded 222 cases of maternal deaths in 2008 as compared to 179 cases in 2007 and attributed the causes of deaths to factors including bleeding, hypertensive disorders, unsafe abortions, anaemia and others. Dr. Oduro said poor facilities at hospitals coupled with poor management and leadership as well as attitude of health personnel towards pregnant women also contributed to maternal deaths. The Deputy Director therefore called on the government to improve facilities at hospitals as well as rehabilitating road networks to enhance health delivery in the country.

Mr. Samuel Oracca Tetteh, Chairman of the Ashanti Regional Chapter of the Coalition of NGOs, said the country would not be able to achieve the Millennium Development Goals of 2015 if pragmatic measures were not taken to address the challenges of maternal health.

He said it was therefore the objective and commitment of the Coalition to play advocacy roles to enlightening people especially pregnant women and health issues to improve their health status. He extended gratitude and appreciation to the Netherlands Embassy for sponsoring the forum. During the opening forum, the participants appealed to the government to open more Midwifery Training Schools to train more midwives to be posted to hospitals and Health Centres as well as giving training to Traditional Births Attendants to enhance their work.